The Darkening
by ToEvenExist
Summary: Owen and Amelia, along with Megan, Richard, Arizona and Alex and others, struggle for survival after a catastrophe. They must embrace the challenges that are thrown their way. Owen and Amelia must also adapt when their small family begins to grow. A story of hope, courage, resilience, and love, above all.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, thank you for reading. I really hope you like this. I plan make this multi chapter, and I also hope to make each chapter quite long._

 _Enjoy x_

* * *

"Will somebody turn that down?" Amelia called over to the main desk, where a group of people were gathered around a television which boomed loudly. She gripped the door frame tightly as no one took notice of her request. Glancing into the patient room with a soft smile she spoke "Do you have any further questions?"

The patient, a young man she had been treating for some time, shook his head, smiling, although distracted by the sound of screaming overlapped by the monotone voice of a news broadcaster. Amelia nodded, glancing back out into the hall. She excused herself from the room, walking slowly across to join the crowd gathered around the television.

She quickly gave up trying to see the screen, not wanting to be crowded amidst the group, she stood at the back and listened. An odd sort of screaming was the most prevalent sound. She crossed her arms and looked down at her shoes, trying to filter out the sound in order to hear the drawling words of the newsreader. Before she could make anything out hands wrapped around her elbows. She looked up to see her husband stooping to her height. "Owen…?" she said, trying to read his expression. She could see fear, which confused her.

"Amelia… We…" he was guiding her down the hall.

"Owen… whats going on?"

"I think… I think we have to go… I don't." Amelia was shaking her head, but still let him lead her. He was doing so in such a domineering way that it was hard not to. "Owen… What do you mean?… Where… what?" she said, as he stopped and sped to stand directly in front of her. He pulled out his phone and showed her a video, placing his phone in her hands and cupping his around hers. "Wha…" she gasped. "Owen… OWEN" she screamed, trying hand him his phone back, but he held it in her grasp, the video showed a flock of people mauling a person like dogs.

Amelia looked up at Owen with teary eyes. She swallowed hard, feeling nausea wash over her. He pulled the phone away slightly to change the page and she pressed a hand to her chest. "Owen that's… that's just…" he moved the screen back so she could see it. It was the vice president. He was sweating, eyes wide in frantic panic. "This is an Emergency Alert. A worldwide pandemic has occurred. If you, or someone close to you expresses the symptoms of a fever, bloodshot eyes, pins and needles and/or numbness in regions of the body, along with nausea, sickness, dizziness, and headaches, then please secure yourself away from others. The disease is transmitted by transfer of fluids, so take necessary precautions to protect yourself. This is a matter of urgency. If you are at home, stay there. If you are not somewhere secure, then get somewhere secure. Limit your contact with other people. Do not try to get to hospitals…" Both Amelia and Owens focus was pulled from the screen by a ruckus behind them.

Amelia turned quickly at the sound of screaming. She had stepped sharply towards it when Owen grabbed her arm. She looked back at him, gasping. The screams echoing down the hall turned turned wiry and grotesque and Amelia backed up, unsteadily, against Owen, who too began to back up. "Let's go" He said, tugging her towards the stairwell.

"They're going to lock down the hospital… to contain the disease, the ER is the last exit open" he said, panting as they sped down the stairwell.

"What!?" Amelia screamed, skipping steps to keep up with Owen.

"I got Megan ready, she's in a side room by the ER" He said, shoving Amelia through a door.

"But… our stuff, we need…"

"I bust your locker door open…" he said, looking down to meet Amelia's frightened gaze. "Your stuff is with Megan, and I've got some supplies together." Amelia sped alongside him, head down, an arm wrapped across her body, hand tightly gripping his.

"Amelia…" she heard her name being called. Meredith was sprinting up behind them, Ellis, red faced and wailing, in her arms. Webber and Riggs, followed. None of them stopped. All moving with purpose towards the ER Exit.

* * *

"It's okay Megan, we'll be out of this soon… It's okay" Amelia could hear Owens soft assurances as she led everyone through the ER. There were people crowding at the exit, out the door. They all made a chain as the pushed past people, heads down. Moving free of the doors, the cool air hit them. Outside soldiers were lined around the exit, shouting sternly to go back inside. She felt Owen and Megan press into her back as she stopped, unsure of where to go. Ellis could be heard screeching behind her too.

The group took in the scene, much as they'd been trained to do. Solders were bellowing, pointing weapons at the crowd, who were crying, tears shining in the light of the evening sun. The sound of the desperate shrieks washed into one like a chorus. The distant crack of gunfire rang in the air.

Amelia pulled her white coat tight around her stomach, inhaling with a calmness she had no right to posses. "Amelia…" she heard, and she turned sharply. Arizona was pressed against the wall at the very edge of the line of soldiers, people were filtering out beside her. Amelia gasped, moving quickly to her and pulling the others behind her. Arizona pulled her through. Amelia turned and pulled Megan and Owen through, Webber following closely behind.

Meredith was so set of moving through that she failed to notice the eyes of a soldier on her. His steps became low as he quickly moved, his large chest blocking her way like a solid wall. She looked up at him, eyes pleading. "Please…" she said, as quiet as a whisper. She could only see the shadow of his eyes, the rest of his face was covered. Meredith felt a sinking feeling. She looked to Ellis, she was crying still, but the sound was awash amongst all the others. She was crying so much that her eyes were squeezed closed, head flung back, mouth open wide. Meredith pressed a soft kiss against her hot cheek and inhaled her scent, "this isn't my Baby."

Amelia screamed at Owen to wait, and he ceased the tugging of her arm. "Please… this is her baby…" Meredith nodded to Amelia. "Please let her take her baby… It's not mine, she's not mine" Meredith was crying, struggling to form the words, her voice shredded with sadness. "Please…"

"Please…" Amelia said, tugging on the soldier's arm, eyes locked with Meredith's. There was a pregnant pause, before he reached for Ellis, large hands enveloping her and pulling her from Meredith's arms. Meredith kissed her swift as she went, whispering goodbye. The soldier, half turned, handing the child to Amelia, who held her close against her aching chest. Meredith backed up against Riggs as the soldiers swarmed in and raised their weapons, ordering everyone back inside.

Meredith held herself, eyes heavy with tears. She nodded to Amelia… Amelia nodded back, and then she was gone. Lost amongst the crowd moving back into the hospital.

"Amelia…" Owen turned her, and pulled her towards an ambulance. She held Ellis tightly, eyes down, letting Owen move her around, up into the vehicle, into a seat. The doors slammed powerfully behind them with a gust of wind that swept Ellis' hair up and against Amelia's cheek.

Ellis dropped her head into the crook of Amelia's neck. She stared down at her hand resting against Ellis' back, at her wedding ring glinting in the light of the ambulance. A seat belt was wrapped around her, she didn't look up to see who by.

"Amelia…" the voice sounded distant. "Amelia." The van started to move, she felt the force of the exceleration pushing her to the right. Owen's hand came into her view, his ring ticking against hers. She looked up, meeting his sad blue eyes. His hand came up to caress her cheek. He smiled tightly. "You're okay" he said. She inhaled sharply and then let out a steady breath. She looked around, seeing all the bags at her feet. Megan sat in the corner, eyes closed, forehead pressed to the wall. Richard sat at Amelia's side, head tilted back, eyes to the ceiling, his hands were splayed on his knees. She looked to the front of the truck, seeing flashes of Arizona's blonde hair. "Who…" Amelia began to speak without even realising. "Alex is driving…" Owen said, rocking with the motion of the van.

Owen observed Amelia, sitting stiffly, an expression of shock contorting her face. She held Ellis firmly. Her eyes were flitting around the place, finally settling on the window. "Guy's…" Arizona called from the front. She was leaning from her chair, hair swinging back and forth as the van sped through the city. "We're going to turn off the lights back there, to save the battery" as she spoke the van bounced over speed bumps, they fell into darkness then. Natural light softly poured in through the back windows in columns.

Owen followed Amelia's gaze, looking to the sky. In his periphery he could see people running about the place. He looked to the sky. The sun was setting, light turning from orange to pink. Amelia's eyes took on the most beautiful colour, a sort of sad turquoise. She moved her feet forward towards him, sitting them between his, feeling the warmth of his ankles against her legs. She sighed, meeting his eyes. The street lights came on, his hair flashed bright in their orange fluorescence. Amelia smiled sadly, dropping her head so her cheek rest against Ellis's head.

The light of the street lamps rolled across the interior of the van as they passed them, their rhythm lulling everyone into a calmness, but nobody slept. They all rest in a state of thoughtfulness, eyes fixed on the darkening sky.

TBC.

Reviews very welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Here is chapter 2! Thank you for reading xxx**_

The radio played quietly. Owen listened intently. The enormity of the situation slowly becoming apparent.

The unofficial narrative was that martial law was to be initiated. Controlled explosions were being carried out in regions majorly infected. That if it was possible to get away from cities, you should. That people should prepare for a long period of unrest, because the infrastructure of society had broken down. Lawlessness was becoming necessary to life. Permanent power outages were to be expected as major area were demolished.

The disease itself was believed to have been an altered Rabies virus. It was unknown if nature or nurture had caused its mutation. The alterations had ensured its resistance to any medical intervention.

The infection was now less acutely fast acting and more persistent, meaning those who contracted it did not die immediately. The metabolism, instead of being destroyed by infection, was maintained, so the virus would keep on reproducing.

The persistence of the infection meant the psychosis was amplified, the aggression. The incubation time of the disease had been shortened, to next to no time, so once transmitted, symptoms became apparent almost immediately, initially; fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, and then confusion, anxiety, muscle convulsions, foaming of the mouth, and hallucinations.

An element of the infection that was new to scientific knowledge was the innate desire to spread the infection. They were calling it The Zombie Virus.

Owen swallowed hard, looking out of the window, the road disappearing behind them. Megan slept beside the window. He watched her, breathing shallow. He still couldn't believe she was with him, that she was alive.

Amelia tilted sideways as the van jolted. Owen leant towards her slightly, not really able to reach her. She was asleep, finally, he'd watched her fight it for some time. He was relieved to see her drift off.

"Richard…" Owen spoke quietly, knowing Richard was not sleeping, as he appeared to be, but simply resting his eyes. He opened them at the sound of his name. Owen rest his hand against Amelia's knee, hoping to keep her from tipping any further with Ellis against her front.

"Could we swap seats? So that I can keep Amelia steady with Ellis?" he said, only briefly looking from Amelia to Richard. They went over another bump and Amelia shifted some more. Richard gave an imperceivable nod and popped his seat belt. He stood and moved to the side that Amelia leaned, supporting her as Owen lunged to sit on her other side.

Owen wrapped his arm gently around her shoulders and rocked her towards him, she stirred but let him mold her against his side. In her sleep she found comfort in the warmth of his body, in his smell.

Owen smiled at her sigh of contentment, almost forgetting their sad circumstances. It had been so long since he'd been so close to her.

They were getting better, chipping away the wall that stood between them.

The van stopped slowly and the engine turned off. Silence padded to room, filling their ears like cotton wool, the numbness of it roused Amelia. She stayed still, her body feeling like dead weight in the arms of her husband.

She nuzzled her cheek against his chest and inhaled, trying to think of nothing but the feeling of him. She felt him press a warm kiss at her hairline and she pouted, her eyes burning with tears.

Arizona and Alex ambled from the front, their feet making hollow thuds against the floor. Amelia straightened slightly, deciding to remain beneath the arch of Owen's arm.

She looked down at Ellis. The child had her arms tucked under Amelia's lab coat, a beam of light rest across her face, illuminating her eyelashes, that twitched as she dreamed. Her hair was in disarray, locks wrapped around her face and tucking under her chin. Owen's hand came across and gently brushed it clear of her face, around her ear. He ran the pad of his thumb over her rosy cheek before resting his hand on the child's back, overlapping Amelia's fingers. Arizona rummaged through a cabinet, pulling out a blanket. She shook it out and lay it over Amelia and Ellis. Alex Stretched and groaned beside them. "We need a plan…" He sighed, hands resting on his hips.

"We tried to get to some of our homes but most of roads are blocked" Arizona spoke into the darkness.

Everyone sat in silence, trying to piece together their thoughts.

"We need to get food… and we'll need water" Megan's voice pulled everyone's focus quickly. Her face was dark as she sat with her back to the window, only a halo of red hair was lit by the the street.

"That's right…" Richard spoke softly.

"People are looting" Alex's voice shuddered as he leant heavily against the side of the van.

"There's some places further out of the city that we would have less trouble at" Arizona said, her profile alight as she looked to Alex.

"Where are we going to go?.. Where are we actually going?" Amelia tried to keep her voice as close to a whisper as possible, not wanting to wake Ellis. Nobody spoke at first.

"There's… There's a couple of Villa's I know of out of the city… Cath…" Richard stuttered, thinking of his wife, who had flown out of the country a few days previous. He was carried back to the frantic phone call he'd had with her early that morning, ending abruptly when the line went dead.

"Catherine owns them, We would… go for weekends" He took in a breath, rolling his shoulders back. "I believe one of them has an independent water supply." He looked between everyone's glinting eyes.

"Okay…" Alex nodded, making out the contours of everyone's faces. "Is that settled? We go there?"

"Sure" Arizona said.

"Yes" Owen spoke and Amelia nodded, looking back down at Ellis, taking in her features again; the only face illuminated. Owen found his eyes drawn there too. The image was so ethereally delicate.

The silence was disturbed by a shuffling outside. Something banged against the side of the van. "Alex are the doors locked?" Arizona whispered.

"I… I think…"

"Alex!" Owen barked under his breath. Alex span and lunged into the front. A figure moved haphazardly against the back doors, the silhouette of a man. His neck went limp and his head thumped against the glass and rest there. The was a clunk and the doors all locked. "My bad…" Alex chuckled from the front.

The handle of the door rattled as the man struggled in his grip. He let out a gurgling, guttural groan and threw his body at the door. The group recoiled, gasping.

"Can we just go…" Amelia breathed. Megan had pressed herself against the wall, eyes wide and unwavering from the figure at the door. "Ye…Yeah" Arizona stuttered, "Alex… hit the gas" she said, turning but keeping her eyes on the door. Ellis hiccuped in her sleep and Amelia soothed her, rubbing circles against her back.

Megan watched as they pulled away from the man. He fell to his knees as they went. The ground around him sparkled, its gravel lit by the lamps, he was a shadow against it. The lamps flickered, and he was absorbed by the blackness of the night, invisible for a moment.

* * *

"THIS IS IT OKAY!?" Alex yelled. Ellis, who now sat between Arizona's legs on the gurney, whined.

"Guys" Arizona said, quieting them. She looked distractedly out the window, across a park where people were rolling in and out of a store in small groups.

Ellis swung Arizona's keys against her thigh, her key ring glowed in three colours through Ellis's chubby fingers. "You're saying this is our best option?" Owen stood by the door, hands on his hips. "Yes" Alex said. Amelia stood before him and paused for a moment before sparking into action, she turned pulling boxes from the cabinets.

"First we need to change into our normal clothes…. We'll attract too much attention in scrubs" she said, yanking gloves and masks from the boxes. "Take these off before we get back in" she handed everyone some. She reached Owen finding him temporarily stunned by her energy.

"Owen" she chided, nudging her hand against his stomach prompting him to take the items. "We'll…" She paused sighing and looking out the window at the chaos. "We should go round the back and see if there's a way into their storage" everyone but Owen was nodding, he was simply watching Amelia. "Get canned goods, rice, pasta… stuff that doesn't age" She met everyone's eyes.

"Richard, will you stay here with Ellis and Megan?" Owen said, finally finding his voice. He was immediately met by Megan's defence; "O I don't need babysitting."

Owen closed his eyes before continuing "We need enough people here to protect the van" Owen said, only partly lying. She took it though, sitting back down. Richard pursed his lips, nodding slightly to Owen before sitting beside Ellis.

* * *

"Just there…" Amelia said, zipping up her jacket. Alex pulled in behind the store into a small parking lot, they drove slowly, each of them scanning out of the windows for people, for any movement. Against the wall, opposite them, a small round light flickered off more than on, the sky was pitch black.

Amelia rose up off of her chair slightly, looking down at the ground before them, she gasped, screaming "Stop. STOP" and Alex jarred the brakes. "There's bodies" Amelia' voice shook, eyes open wide.

The pair of them looked around the lot. It was so dark. "Flash the headlights" Amelia peered into the shadows intently. With a 'click' the lights came on. "Wait" she said, "The door is there" she said, pointing. Alex turned off the lights again.

"Owen" she called back and he appeared through opening. "We need to get that door open" she said. Alex flashed the lights again. Owen saw the bodies, two of them, their mangled limbs strung about, light hair sopping with blood. He pulled his eyes away, looking to the door, with its padlock. Alex turned off the lights.

Owen nodded, "We'll need a something like a crowbar" he said, brows furrowing. He locked eyes with Amelia. 'God she's so beautiful' he thought. She smiled softly up at him, "Arizona, will you look for something like a crowbar back there…" she said, turning in her chair and taking Owen's hand to get up.

"When we get in there you and Alex stay together…" Amelia said to Arizona, who was now rummaging through the low cabinets. The clang of metal could be heard as she found medical tools, "Could be use these?" she said, holding up a large pair of pliers.

Owen looked at the tool skeptically. He pursed his lips, "Probably" he said as Arizona passed them to him.

"Try to find things Ellis will need" Richard said, patting Ellis' back with his large hand. She had curled up against him, asleep again. Everyone nodded, Amelia pressed the back of her index finger to Ellis' cheek, think of how it was the trauma making her so tired.

* * *

The temperature outside had dropped since they'd last been exposed to it. As they passed the bodies, Amelia caught sight of their wounds, and of the foam saliva stringing from their mouths onto the floor. Owen looked only briefly, guiding Amelia with hand on her back.

They sprinted quietly to the door. With a quick and loud clank the lock was broken and they entered, pulling it closed behind them.

Owen stopped them just inside, and stood completely still, barely breathing. The faint sound of raised voiced could be heard from the main store, but the stock room was deathly silent, comfortingly so.

"Okay" he turned on a torch, the others' clicked on in sequence and the stock room was illuminated. "Shit…"Alex said with a grin. There were wide, plastic wrapped shipping boxes everywhere, filled with stock. The group scanned the space, then glanced at one another, with eyebrows raised, their lips pursed into tight grins.

* * *

They heaved produce into the Ambulance in pairs, filling the space as much as possible. They held each other's gazes in passing, even becoming somewhat jovial at their findings. Owen carried a crate of canned peach, atop a crate of beans. "Melia…" he said, and indicated his bounty, she grinned,

"Aww Owen you're stealing peaches for me" she chuckled, reaching up to kiss him.

"Amelia…" Arizona called to her from down an aisle, just standing with a large crate of tampons. Amelia smiled at her, both of them chuckling "Thank god" Amelia muttered to her as she passed.

* * *

Twenty minutes later they were on their way out of town, the ambulance packed to the point where almost all of the floor was filled, feet propped up on top of the crates. Half of the space towards the driving area was filled, blocking the access to the front. "This will last…" Arizona said, with lopsided smile, running her eyes over it all. Amelia nodded.

"Maybe not that though" Amelia said, tapping the crate full of tampons with her foot. She locked eyes with Megan, who smiled.

"We'll figure it out" Arizona said, arranging the blanket that covered Ellis so that it was up to her chin. Rattling cans overlapped the sound of the radio as they crawled across the city.

The voice of the radio host was sad and tired, he'd repeat the same information every so often, with new pieces of useless information. He'd play old anthems, nostalgically introducing them in a mellow tone. Silence follow each song, as though he fell into deep reflection each time a tune played.

Amelia suddenly heard Owen's voice, boom, in the front. He screamed for the van to stop, and it did sharply, all the crates jarred. Amelia's head started to thump with worry when she heard his door open and close and then… silence.

TBC.

Reviews very appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello, thank you very much 'dontcallmeprincess' for your kind reviews, and thank you to 'Nita' and 'Csanlee'! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**_

* * *

"Richard!?" Amelia said, standing up and shouting through the crates.

"Where is he going?" hearing Richard struggling for words.

"He… he just said stop and, and to wait…" Richard replied. Amelia shook her head, walking haphazardly to the back door and peeking out.

The street looked familiar. She gasped as realisation suddenly overwhelmed her. She pulled a mask from the box and a pair of gloves "Amelia?" Arizona said, confused. Amelia opened the doors and stepped down. She turned to them, "Evelyn…. He's getting your mom" she looked to Megan, whose mouth dropped open just as Amelia closed the door.

It was deathly silent outside, as Amelia reached the pavement on the other side of the road, all of the lights flicked off.

She stood still, hands out infront of her as her eyes adjusted to the natural light of the moon. She ran, the sound of her footsteps reverberating against the buildings and back.

Evelyn's gate squealed as she pushed it open.

Her front door was open. Amelia padded along the garden path as quietly as possible, looking around her as she went. The smell of burning lightly laced the air, but the smell of cut grass was still present; a reminder of how much simpler things had been only hours before.

"Owen…" she whispered, stepping into the porch. "Owen…" she spoke a little louder. Suddenly she heard a loud bang, and screaming, a woman's voice set against a man's. Amelia rushed forward, seeing a dim rectangular projection of light on the hallway wall. She walked towards it and turned into the room. "Owen!" Amelia shouted.

She ran into the room, helpless as John, Evelyn's partner, wrestled Owen against the wall. He gargled and screeched animalistically.

Owen overpowered him, taking him to the ground. John screeched again, knocking Owen sideways. Owen fell hard onto his elbow and yelped. "Owen" Amelia screamed, surging forward and pulling John backwards onto his back, he turned suddenly fixing his eyes on her. She gasped, backing up against the wall. His eyes were frighteningly vacant. Amelia knew that stare… his brain function had been majorly impaired, he'd lost the ability to think independently.

He clambered up to standing, and began to approach her, eye's looking her up and down. She slid across the wall, screaming for Owen. Her eyes quickly flicked down to him, he was trying to get up but his arm hung limp, dislocated. "Owen!" she said, backed into a corner.

John was much broader and much taller than she. He stopped, facing her, only a foot away, gurning his jaw.

Amelia, inhaled and shut her eyes as he started, fast towards her, then suddenly a unbearably loud bang shook the room, white flashing through Amelia's eyelids. She flinched, hands coming up around herself.

The room fell silent apart from Amelia and Owens laboured breaths. A great weight rolled onto Amelia's foot but she refused to open her eyes.

"Amelia…Is… Is that you?" Amelia gasped. She opened one eye and saw Evelyn there, in her night dress, lowering a gun to her side. She was crying, face shining in the flickering candle light. Looking down, she saw John, lifeless on the ground.

Blood pooled just shy of her foot. "Oh Owen" Evelyn said, lowering beside where Owen sat, still trying to stand, holding his right arm at the elbow. Amelia held her breath as she stepped over John.

"Evelyn… are you okay?" Amelia said, pulling down her mask. She dropped beside them both and took the gun from Evelyn's hand. "I…" she wept. "I was having a bath… when, when he came back from work. He said he was sick. He just started to get so aggressive, wanting me to open the door" she cried, shaking her head. "It's okay Mom" Owen's voice was strained by pain.

"I saw on the news…" she dropped her head into her hands, "Oh John…." she began to sob. Amelia wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against her chest. "Evelyn, get some things together, we have a van outside, we have food, we're heading out of the city" Amelia said, pulling away and taking her face in her hands. "Okay" she whispered, leaning against Amelia to get up. She disappeared into her bedroom.

"Would you do the honours?" Owen whined, meeting Amelia's gaze only briefly before squeezing his eyes shut.

"I would love to" Amelia said. Moving closer to him and gently taking his hand in hers, placing it on her right shoulder. "What method are you going to use?" he said.

"Sit straight, relax your shoulders" she ignored his question, massaging the muscles of his forearm. He watched her intently, she focused on his shoulder, gently massaging the area. He looked down at her kneading hands. He furrowed his brows, worrying about time, "Amelia are you…" it popped, before he could even finish, back into the joint. She smirked smugly at him, dimples denting her cheeks endearingly.

"You have to teach me that one" he said, smiling too. She ran her hand up and down his arm. "Nothing to it" she stood, and offered her hand to him, which he took and almost pulled her back down with his weight.

Evelyn came back out then, pulling a suitcase behind her. She smiled at the sight of them, holding hands, eyes locked. "Ready," her voice was frailer than she wanted it to sound. She cleared her throat. Amelia nodded, letting go of Owen's hand and taking her bag from her. "We're just outside" Owen wrapped his good arm around his mother and guided her out, stepping over John's body as they went.

* * *

"Are you comfortable Evelyn?" Amelia said, moving crates so that Evelyn could put her feet up. "I am, thank you dear" she said, taking Megan's hand and enclosing it in hers. Megan rest her head in the crook of her mother's neck, closing her eyes.

Amelia, walked carefully across the space, she fixed a torch to the door of a cabinet and opened it and finding a triangular bandage. "Melia I'm really fine" Owen said, shaking his head, still cradling his arm. "Great, now give me your arm" she said, ignoring him and tying the bandage at the back of his neck.

Megan chuckled, watching the exchange. "She's got him sussed" Evelyn uttered quietly. Megan nodded softly, whispering "Yeah."

"Better?" Amelia said, tucking a flap of bandage into the sling she had just fashioned. He smiled, "Yes…" he replied, honestly. "Thank you" he leant forward and kissed her forehead as she faffed with the fabric. She stopped instantly and met his eyes. She nodded and kissed him on the lips, short but sweet. Realising only then how much she really craved him. The van jolted harshly as Richard sped over a speed bump.

Just then Ellis began to whine in Arizona's arms, she spoke and Amelia recognised the name she called. "Meelie…" she said. Ellis's hands opened and closed as she tried to get to her from the gurney. "Okay… okay.." Amelia said, leaning to take her from Arizona.

Ellis let out little whimpers as Amelia settled her on her lap, she calmed a little, ceasing her whimpering. Amelia knew what seeing her like this did to Owen. She knew before she looked to him what expression would paint his face; the faint smile and lovingly longing eyes. She place her hand on his thigh and squeezed gently.

The little girl eyed Owen with eyes wide. She sat back, Amelia's arms moving to support her back. Ellis reached out and pat her small hand against Owen's' arm. Her expression morphed to worry and she said "hurt," pronouncing her 'r' as a 'w'.

Owen smiled, shaking his head, "It's just tired… it's resting" he said. She wrapped her hand around his finger and twisted her lips, the couple both saw Meredith in her in that moment. She began to fidget, kneeling up and trying to shuffle onto Owen's lap. Amelia helped her and the child gently wrapped her arms around Owen, legs either side of him. Amelia watched with tears burning in her eyes, 'she's too good for this world' she thought as she met Owen equally teary eyes.

"Hey… " Alex called in a whisper through the crates. The Ambulance bumped against something a rolled over it. Arizona pressed her ear against the crates, replying with "Alex?"

"There are… err" he stopped, the van had slowed down considerably, it bumped into something again, shuddering as the wheels rolled over it. "There's bodies on the road. A…. A lot of them and this is the only route so…"

The van jolted again, this time hitting two in sequence from the sides, the van rocked. Arizona turned slowly back to face the others, her face pale in the near darkness. Everyone bounced in their seats, nausea washing over them in a heavy, unavoidable wave.

* * *

"Nearly there" Richard bellowed loudly from the driver's seat. They'd been driving for a couple of hours, stopping halfway so that Alex could siphon gas from a couple of cars to keep them moving. Blankets were scattered atop everyone in the back. Sleep could only be attained by Ellis. The others just dozed, being painfully pulled back and forth between dream and reality.

The van turned harshly and crates rattled against the side. The road beneath them became gravely; wheels against stone, making popping sounds as they ascended a hill.

The van braked slowly and both front doors opened. Footsteps crunched in the stones. A gate screamed as it was pushed opened. One door closed and the van rolled on slowly forward. Out of the back windows, Alex could be seen dwarfed by a giant iron gate. He closed it with a rattling clang and stood for a moment, fiddling with the lock. He sprinted back past them and jumped into the front, the van sinking under his weight. "Okay" he spoke, out of breath.

They drove for a further five minutes before the engine was turned off. The front doors both opened and closed, and footsteps circled to the back. Amelia clicked open hers and Owens seatbelts and threw a blanket over Owen's shoulder, covering Ellis. The door opened and the smell of night moved in like fog.

"We're here" Richard said, taking Megan's hand and helping her to step down, Evelyn following. Amelia held onto Owen, steadying him and Ellis. "Is the area fenced off?" Arizona asked Richard as they walked towards the house.

"I believe so" he replied, pulling out his keys.

The night was crisp, the sky clear. Alex stood away from the group, facing the woods, chin turned up to the sky. He held himself tighter as a cool wind blew past.

"Alex…" Arizona stood alone at the entrance to the house. He remained. She pulled the door closed and walked over to him. "Alex" she spoke again, quietly. He sighed through his nose. The moon painted

white circles in his eyes. "What are we going to do now?" he shook his head slightly, lifting and dropping his shoulders. Arizona looked up at the sky too, and breathed in deep through her nose, the cold filling her lungs. They stood in silence, shoulders touching firmly.

Alex looked down at his shoes. "I've had these shoes for years…" he said. Arizona looked at him, confused. "I don't even remember where I got them" he continued, "I don't remember…" he looked up suddenly, finding Arizona's eyes. "This… is this it?" He said, gesturing at the crates in the open van, then up at the house. "If i'd have known Arizona…" he rubbed his forehead, glancing up at the moon. "If I'd have known, I… I would have took note of things. I would have sa… savoured them… I… I would have…I can't remember" his eyes glistened for a moment before he rubbed them.

"Alex…" Arizona said, grabbing his forearm.

"I can't remember…" he said, throat constricting around the words. Arizona, opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. She looked to the ground. "I'm scared too Alex" she admitted, faintly. He release an arm from around himself and wrapped it around her. She let her neck relax against his shoulder and they stood there, under the stars, noses numb from the cold. "Come on…" Arizona gestured with a tip of her head, towards the house. Warm, flickering light glowed from the windows.

* * *

"There are… two double rooms, and a room with two singles upstairs" Richard spoke exasperatedly as he sat the last of the crates on the kitchen table. "Maybe Evelyn and Megan could take one, Owen and Amelia the other, Arizona and Ellis in the singles… I'll take the couch and Alex, there's a single room down in the basement?" He spoke in the way the group were used to, like a chief. Everyone nodded, looking between each other.

"Sir, no, I'll take the couch" Alex said, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"Call me Richard… and no no, the couch will suit me just fine"

"I insist" Alex said, the others began to file from the room. Alex nodded finally, and pat his hand against Richard's shoulder. Richard conceded, smiling in thanks as Alex left the room, leaving him completely surrounded by food.

Richards smile slowly faded, the image of his wife coming to mind, the time they'd spent in the kitchen. He sighed, brushing his hand over his head, padding tiredly from the room.

* * *

"I can sleep here if…" Owen pointed to the window seat, where cushion's littered the surface. They'd not slept together in so long. "No" Amelia replied quickly, eyes as wide as saucers.

"I want you… with me" she said, tears forming in her eyes, she dropped her things against the wall, closing her eyes and trying to rain in her emotions. She flopped back, leaning, and pressed her hand against her chest, unable to stop the warmth rising up her neck, into her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes closed, hoping to contain the tears. "Amelia" Owen uttered, crossing the room.

"It's okay… I'm, I don't know what's happening… I'm okay" she said, nodding.

Owen stood in front of her, leaning on his hand beside her. "Don't fight it…" he whispered, stooping to catch her eye.

"I… I'm so tired" she said. He frowned, nodding. "This.. this is horrible" she continued, "this is all just so… so horrible" her words softened, meeting Owen's watering eyes. She leaned towards him and kissed him surely on the lips. His hand found its way to her waist, moving up her spine and down, under her shirt. They stopped just to look into one another's eyes, asking a silent question. The fire they both found was all the answer they needed, it propelled them back together with raw ferocity.

Hands sawt the warmth of skin, clothes swept off, pooled on the floor. The mattress was cool against their bodies. They made love with pain in their chests, and a desperation to be healed by the hands of the other.

By the time they found themselves entangled together, grips so tight that flesh dimpled under their fingertips, the pain was gone. Or the pain was lesser. A sort of euphoria had taken hold of them, an appreciation of each other's' presence… 'love' they both thought.

TBC.

Reviews very welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

Rain poured all night, leaving the earth sodden and soft. Only the sick moved, clamouring mindlessly across the city, increasing in numbers, tripping on the dead. The lessening numbers of unaffected curled in dark corners, hands silencing their own screaming mouths. The copious fields and woodland surrounding the group were as dead and still as a photograph.

It was the morning after they'd arrived. Owen and Amelia awoke together, their bare bodies molded around one another's. They remained silent, not wanting to spoil the moment with anything that could draw gravity to the truth of reality.

They held onto each other tighter as the time past, slowly propelling them towards the instance that they'd have to speak, and remember that nothing was perfect.

They both fought feelings of sadness at the memories of their relationship previous to the moment they were in. They lay completely still, save for their breathing, staring off with wide thoughtful eyes. They were fearful that the second they both let go, connecting again would seem impossible. The house was silent, rain lightly tapped the window.

"Owen…" Amelia asked softly. He squeezed her tighter in reply. "We're going to be okay?" she said, so innocently that tears pricked into Owen's eyes.

"Yes" he said, without pause, kissing the top of her head.

"I… I don't want to give up" she whispered, holding onto him firmly, ' _this is my fault'_ she thought, feeling a knot tighten in her chest.

"Amelia" Owen retorted, she looked up at him, tethering to his blue orbs. "No one is giving up" Owen spoke sternly, wanting her to believe him. He searched her eyes, thinking of all that was still a mystery about her, he saw so much sorrow there, 'I will wait' he told himself, vowing again that he would do whatever it took to make them work. He needed them to work.

He kissed her forehead, just between her eyes. She reached for his lips, and melted against him with a sigh. The quiet compelled Amelia to speak, she rest her chin against his chest and gazed up at him.

"You know… I had a baby" she whispered, her breath tickling his chest. He nodded, sensing that the silence was comforting her. "I… he was Ryan's… The man I told you died." Owen nodded again, brushing his fingertips along her spine. "My…My baby had anencephaly" she closed her eyes, feeling herself unraveling. Owen's hand came to press against the small of her back, she arched towards him, taking his other hand in hers and squeezing it. "I carried him… full term" her voice wavered. Owen stared at her, eyes greying under the dull light of the sky, listening as she poured her heart out.

A door opened and closed in the hall. Someone descended the stairs. Owen pulled her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. "I… I held him in… in my arms" tears rolled down her cheeks and pooled at his sternum. "He was beautiful… I held him and then he… he donated his organs" she was shaking. Another door opened and someone padded along the hall. "Come here" Owen said, pulling her up towards him so that her face was level with his. He pulled the duvet up to her shoulders. She smiled sadly, wallowing in the warmth that surrounded her, the feeling of his body against hers. "I'm scared…" she said, "I was scared… that's… why I left" she hid her face, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry" she continued. Owen only held her tighter.

"I wish you had told me sooner" he said, smoothing her hair back, she nodded, opening her mouth to speak. "I'm sorry you felt you couldn't" Amelia shook her head, looking up at him.

"Owen I meant what I said when I wrote that note, I know I said…" she sat up, wrapping the blanket around her naked form. "I said you were suffocating me… but…" she paused searching for her words. "Amelia… it's…"

"No we… we just… I should have told you… If you'd have known… I just needed time… I should have told you" he stopped her, sitting up too and taking hold of her shoulders.

"Amelia…" he shook his head, smiling softly. "It's okay… we have time! We have time oka?…. we're here together" he nodded, she nodded too, calming her breathing.

There was a knock on the door, the two of them froze. "One minute" Owen called, jumping out of bed and grabbing his trousers, he threw Amelia his T-shirt, moving to the door.

He opened it slightly, enough to poke his head through. "Richard" he greeted.

"I just wanted to check you were both okay?" he said, "Oh and I brought you some water" he said, handing Owen a large bottle. Amelia came up behind him and pulled open the door. "Hi Richard" she said, taking the bottle from Owen. Richard took in their attire and smiled.

"You're both feeling alright? No symptoms?" he asked them, folding his arms across his chest.

They looked to each other and smiled slightly, nodding. "We're"

"We're okay" they both said.

"Good…Okay… I'll see you downstairs" he backed away before turning and moving down the stairs. Owen walked into the room and sat heavily on the bed.

"Oh…" Richard backed up, "Amelia" he called, she moved back to the door, passing Owen the water as she went. "Ellis is asking for you… she's okay, slept fine" Richard said, sensing Amelia's worry.

She smiled, hands tugging at the hem of the t-shirt she wore. She nodded, "thank you, i'll be right down" she slowly closed the door as she spoke.

She sighed, falling softly against the door with a small chuckle. She looked up to find Owen smiling. She smiled too, suddenly feeling fatigued from crying. "Need your trousers?" he picked them up from the floor and held them towards her. She nodded, "This living situation will take some getting used to" she said, tugging up her trousers as Owen pulled his shirt up at her sides. She lifted her arms, letting him pull it off. "It will" he said, smiling at how warm she had made his top.

"Look" amelia said, her voice suddenly shaky. She stood at the window, she shuffled into her jumper distractedly. "See there" she nodded towards the horizon, her fingertips whitening as she pressed them to the glass. Owen's eyes narrowed, black smoke washed up, merging with the grey sky, far in the distance. "That… must be a big fire…" Amelia said, hugging herself. He lay his arm across her shoulders, and pulled her to him. The smoke wisped up into the sky, forming ominous black funnels. Ellis wailed up the stairs, jilting them both from a daze. She looked up at him, suddenly flustered, "I… Ellis" she managed to say, ambling to the door, he nodded, following close behind her, glancing fleetingly back at the horizon.

* * *

Amelia found Evelyn slowly pacing the kitchen, bouncing Ellis on her hip. "Oh Amelia…. You've quite the groupie here" she said, smiling and meeting Amelia halfway across the kitchen. Ellis' whining stopped briefly when she saw her aunt.

"Hey… hey baby" Amelia cooed, taking her into her arms. Ellis clung tightly to Amelia, feet dangling against her thighs, hands fluttering in Amelia's dark hair at the back of her neck. Evelyn watched contently, a small smile gracing her face.

Amelia walked a small distance back and forth, gently swaying, shushing softly. The child soothed instantly, her hands becoming still. She began to suck on her thumb, face relaxing. Owen leant in the doorway, watching Amelia work. She met his gaze and smiled, "crisis averted?" he said, folding his arms tighter.

"With real ease" Evelyn said, nodding approvingly at Amelia. Amelia's eyes widened slightly with fear, and Evelyn saw this. She poured two mugs of camomile tea and pushed one towards Amelia.

Evelyn glanced at Owen and indicated that he should leave. He froze for a second, wanting to stay, but the look on his mother's face reassured him and he left them.

Evelyn pulled a stool out for each of them and they sat, silent at first. "It is scary…" Evelyn started. Amelia inhaled, deep, rubbing a small circle against her nieces back. "Terrifying even, and" Evelyn continued, looking to the door, thinking of Owen and Megan. "It doesn't get easier. But with that fear, comes… unimaginable, uncontainable… beautifully painful… love. It is different now" she said, eyes diving out of the window, off into the black horizon, "But the love never changes… That love is protection for long enough" she said, finding Amelia' eyes full of tears.

Evelyn smiled, "Oh sweetheart" she cupped Amelia's face with her hand, brushing away a tear as it fell. "You have a life partner Amelia, he's with you for life" she smiled toothily, and Amelia smiled back, nodding, "You're stuck with him" she said, chuckling. Amelia laughed, looking down and wiping away her tears. "I see it in his eyes…" Evelyn spoke firmly, hand clasped around Amelia's shoulder. "You've nothing to fear dear… you won't be alone in anything" her eyes were bright as she spoke, sadness seeping in at the edges.

"I'm…" Amelia began to speak before she even realised.

"I'm sorry about John, Evelyn. I'm so sorry." Evelyn nodded at Amelia's words, pursing her lips. "I have my children. I have you, and Owen has you, I have a lot to be thankful for" she said, turning her mug. "Evelyn that doesn't mean you should mourn for him" She paused, and leant forward to take Evelyn's hand.

"It's not an either / or. You know… Owen once told me that we're supposed to feel, and grieve, that we are supposed to allow ourselves to be destroyed by whatever feeling you need to be destroyed by, instead of…" she paused glancing up to find the words, "Instead of running from it, instead of extinguishing it… feel it" she said, eyes bright but sad, as she recalled the circumstances which led him to say those words.

Evelyn smiled proudly, "He said that? My Owen?" Amelia chuckled breathily, and nodded, feeling tears burn in her eyes. "He's a smart man" She said and Amelia laughed again nodding.

"He is…" she said. Ellis began to fidget then.

"Meelie" she said, keeping her head resting against her shoulder, but turning her face inwards. Amelia hummed her reply. "Pish. I have pishes?" she said. Amelia knew what she was saying, even as Evelyn looked on, confused. "Peaches Ellis?" Amelia asked, Ellis nodded, hand gripping the neck of Amelia's jumper, the weight of it pulling the hem down. "Okay" she said, looking around and beginning to stand. Before her feet even hit the floor Evelyn began; "Nonsense… I'll sort some" she slid from her stool began to move about the kitchen. "Thank you Evelyn" Amelia said, watching her.

"It's my pleasure" she spoke nonchalantly, pulling items from cupboards.

"No, Evelyn. I… Really, thank you" Amelia said, pulling Evelyn's focus back onto her.

"It's my pleasure Amelia" she said again, this time with an even greater depth to her words.

* * *

"I miss work" Arizona spoke, voice filtering through the crackling of the fire. They all sat around the lounge. Amelia sat on the floor, leaning against the couch between Owens legs. Ellis was splayed out on her stomach between hers.

Arizona was flopped on an armchair by the fire, head lulled back. "Me too…" Alex looked up from the book with was flicking through.

"I don't know what to do with myself" Amelia said, debating whether or not to eat the piece of peach that Ellis had just given her, knowing full well that it had been in her mouth. She shrugged slightly and put it in her mouth. Owen chuckled, brushing her hair over her shoulder and lightly smoothing his fingers up and down her neck. She sighed, letting her head drop onto his knee.

Richard came into the room from the kitchen, and picked up his jacket. "Evelyn and I are going for a walk around the garden, would anyone like to join us?" he asked as Evelyn came out of the kitchen, a warm smile gracing her face and a steaming mug of tea in her hand.

Megan nodded, and jumped up from her seat. "Sure I'll come" Arizona said, slapping her thighs and huffing.

"I'm good" Alex said, "Just getting to a good bit" he said sarcastically, flicking the page of his book. "Owen…. Amelia?" Evelyn said, holding onto the wall as she slipped on her shoes. "No, I'm good thanks" Owen replied, tilting his head back, looking at his mom upside down. "Me too, I'm fine here" Amelia said, picking up a blob of peach from the carpet and putting back on the plate.

"Ellis?" Arizona said, her tone lifting. Ellis looked up at her, her expression evoked a smile from Amelia and Owen. "You want to come outside?" Arizona said, holding up Ellis' coat. Ellis smiled, and pushed herself onto her knees. Amelia leant forward and supported her as she wobbled to stand. Everyone grinned, watching her. Amelia held onto her, working with Arizona to get her coat on, her little hands sticking to her sleeves as they pushed through. She had little pieces of peach stuck to her face and Amelia brushed it away, making a mental note to remember to clean her up when she got back in.

* * *

Amelia sighed loudly, "I can't do this!" she cried, putting both of her hands on Owens knees and heaving herself up. She stood in that spot and stretched, before plopping her fists on her hips and sighing again. "How can you just be sitting there all relaxed?" she spoke to Owen. He just smirked at her, "I'm just as agitated as you, I'm just sitting still until I can't anymore" he said, patting the space beside him. She groaned, folding her arms. She looked around, tapping her fingers against her elbows.

"I'm going to go out and see if there's anything on the van's radio" she said, nodding.

"I'll come" Owen said, reaching for Amelia's hand to help him out of the low chair.

* * *

"It's so fresh" Amelia, said. The air smelt of rain and sodden grass. From the steps up to the porch Amelia realised she could see the city, far in the distance. They began to descend the stairs. Alex closed the door behind him.

"Wait… wait" Owen said, a low buzzing swam around the sky. He ran down the stairs, moving away from the house and looking up at the sky, eyes searching it frantically. The buzzing got louder, almost unbearably so, before three small planes sped overhead. Amelia looked down at Owen, seeing him there, hands balled into fists.

"Owen!" She called, worried for him. She looked back at the sky, at the planes shrinking aways from them, rushing towards the city.

Alex and Amelia's faces morphed into shock as realisation dawned upon them.

Owen ran up beside them. Amelia squinted, making out dark masses being dropped from the planes. Amelia grabbed Owens arm and he quickly took hold of her hand, slowly pulling her against his side.

A portion of the city threw up a huge dark cloud, and the ground shook under their feet, a loud, slow, rumble filled their ears.

"Let's get in Owen" Amelia said, feeling tears brim in her eyes. Arizona appeared from the side of the house then, carrying Ellis, crying, in her arms. The others followed behind.

"Come on" she said, pulling Owen towards the door. His eyes were fixed on the plumes of smoke, billowing up, high into the sky.

Everyone hustled up the stairs, piling into the house, eyes wide and flitting with fear.

Amelia sat Owen down, and moved to the window, staring out before pulling the curtains closed.

"Okay… Okay… Right" she said, frantically, looking between Megan and Owen, tension taking hold of her body as she considered how vulnerable they both were to a ptsd episode. Evelyn saw this and put her hand on Amelia's back, rubbing briefly and nodding.

Amelia inhaled lengthily and closed her eyes.

"Amelia" she opened her eyes to Arizona who handed her Ellis. She bounced her up and down gently on her hip. "I'll make everyone some tea" Evelyn said, smiling calmly at Amelia before leaving for the kitchen.

"Owen… what do…" Owen interrupted her, he looked to Megan then back to Amelia.

"Music" Owen said. Megan sat completely still, eyes wide and fixed on the flames courting in the fireplace. Arizona sat down on the foot stool in front of her and caught her gaze. Megan's expression softened.

Richard nodded, "I'll turn the generator on for a while, just for this evening, Alex go around and close the curtains" he said deeply. They'd been using the generator very sparsely, wanting to save fuel. He left the room.

Behind Amelia, Alex was peaking through the curtain. A thin beam of light illuminating his hazel eyes. He let the curtain swing closed and looked to the ground, hands worrying together before he seemed to be spurred on by a sudden energy. "Curtains" he mumbled under his breath as strode into the kitchen.

Ellis had calmed again, clinging tightly to Amelia's side. "Owen" Amelia said, he snapped quickly from a trance to look at her. "Hey" she breathed, moving towards him and carefully sitting down.

"Hi" he said, eyes locked to hers as if he were relying on them to keep him anchored. She turned towards him, back against the arm of the chair and reached for his hand.

"You're okay" she said, reassuring him. He nodded and let out a heavy sigh, looking down at their hands. "Come here" she said, pursing her lips, fighting a sob.

He closed his eyes, leaning until he rest in her lap, head against her stomach. "You're okay" she whispered.

TBC

Reviews much appreciated x


	5. Chapter 5

"No…No, no Amelia, OW!" Owen moaned, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the wall above their bed. "I can't get to it, take off your shirt" Amelia said, sitting on his thighs.

"It hurts" he said, unmoving.

"Off" she nodded, taking hold of the hem of his T-shirt.

He sighed and let her lift it up and off. "Shouldn't we close the door?" he said, looking down at his bare chest. She shook her head and began to massage his shoulder. "We're not doing anything explicit" she smiled, glancing from her kneading hands, to his face.

He winced, but she continued firmly. Amelia frowned, "It's been nearly eight weeks…"

"Mmmm… OW"

"Your mobility is fine… so I don't think anything is broken" she sank heavily against his thighs.

"It's alright, It is better… it just hurts still"

"You shouldn't have lifted that log last week" she said, continuing her work. He rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah."

It was then that Arizona walked in. Her eyes widened, and she backed up quickly. "Woh woh, I'm so sorry guys" she squeaked from the hall. Amelia chuckled.

"Arizona… it's… Amelia is massaging my shoulder" Owen called out. Arizona leaned cautiously around the door. "Oh" She shuffled into the room, still feeling awkward. Amelia simply carried on, brows furrowed as she worked into his muscles. "Right so…" Arizona smiled, "I'm going with Richard to get some of the supplies we've ran out of."

The pair looked up at each other. Amelia stopped her hands.

"I'm coming with" she said, shifting off of Owen and standing up.

Owen nodded, "Me too."

"No" Amelia said, pressing him back down to the bed. "You'll hurt your shoulder even more"

"Amelia" he said, exasperatedly, standing as she left the room.

"Owen" she said, sprinting down the stairs.

"Amelia…" He shouted after her, now standing at the top of the stairs, half smiling. She appeared at the bottom of the stairs, hand clutching the banister. "Owen" she said again, smirking up at him. He sighed, watching Richard and Arizona leave through the door. "Be safe" he said, looking back to her. Her smile softened and she nodded, mouthing "I will."

* * *

"Amelia, check these car's, see if any of them are open" Richard said, rubbing his hands together, fighting the cold. Arizona pressed the door of the ambulance closed and span around, looking at the cars that littered the street. Amelia nodded. Richard continued, voice muffled by the mask, wrapped around his face "meet back here in twenty minutes… don't go far… don't leave the street." She nodded, "Yeah… okay," turning slightly to go.

"Amelia" He said, eyes wide, his hands shook as he reached into his pocket. He slowly pulled out a gun, and held it out towards her. She swallowed hard, taking it from him. Arizona pressed her hand against the pistol she had in her waistband and inhaled deeply.

"Twenty minutes" she said, checking the gun before pushing it into the back of her jeans.

* * *

Amelia approached the first car and peered through the window, she saw there were no keys in the ignition. She walked slowly along the street, footsteps loud against the sickly quiet. She sighed as she peered into the next car, and gently pulled on the handle. Locked. She turned, looking down the street at all the cars.

 _This isn't going to work_. She looked at each car and then threw her head back. Silence rushed in her ears. She heard a door pop and looked back down the street finding Richard, leaving the back of the van and moving back towards the warehouse.

"Right…" she spoke aloud to herself, stepping back from the car and glancing to the houses. Right. She shook her head, and shrugged, trying to find the courage. "Fuck sake" she said, as she began to walk. "This is no different from a big ass, previously inoperable, brain tumour… just…" she stepped past a door that had been bust open, _take a deep breath, and do it_.

The air was moist and stagnant, almost foggy. She shouldered open the door to let more air in and listened for movement. There was none.

The bare floorboards creaked under the soles of her boots, the plastic bags that covered them crinkling. The light was warm through the cream coloured blinds. Two pairs of sock clad feet poked out from behind a couch. The toes of one of them twitched, Amelia gasped, and recoiled backwards into the door frame of the unfamiliar living room.

She huffed, body suddenly on fire. She slowly approached the feet, expecting to find yellowed eyes, and foaming mouths. Instead she found a man covered in blood, with clear, dead eyes staring off into an abyss. Beside him a woman, eyes open so wide that the entirety of her green irises were revealed. The frantically flitted around the room and landed on Amelia, somehow opening wider. Her chest heaved rapidly, lips twitching. Sound left her lips with strain, small unintelligible utterances.

Amelia moved closer to her. Realising that what had happened to them was not disease related. _This is something else entirely._ "R…r…Le… My…" Amelia furrowed her brows, leaning forward slightly, trying to understand.

"What is it… listen I can help you. Can you move do you think? I have people, I can come back with them" Amelia scanned the women up and down, she definitely had a broken arm, maybe two. Blood pooled under her head. Her breathing suddenly sharpened. She whined, "Rrrun" she said, eyes diving behind Amelia. Amelia turned, suddenly aware of a presence.

A man stood there, covered in blood, their blood. He put down a duffel bag slowly, Amelia eyed it, it was full of food. "Hey!" he bellowed. "Eyes up." She looked at him sharply, hands frozen at her sides. "This is my loot" he said. Amelia stood stock still, "I…I don't…"

"Save it bitch" he said, Amelia looked down at his other hand. He noticed and tightened his fist around a bloodied baseball bat. "Please" she said, shaking her head. He stepped towards her, slowly lifting the bat.

The fear that was paralyzing her suddenly disappeared and she reached for her gun. She backed up, bringing it up towards him only to have it immediately struck from her hand.

Pain seared upward from her wrist and before she could even perceive what had happened she was struck again at her side. She felt an excruciating crack, bile rose up her throat. She was struck again against her other side and then hard against the thigh.

She screamed, the world began to shrink into a tiny point at the center of her vision. The beating stopped, the man watched her fall with a lopsided smile on his face.

It all happened slowly in her mind. Wind rushed past her, her fingers splayed, reaching for him as if he would grab her. Her head smacked against a table bluntly and she squeezed her eyes closed, allowing the floor to embrace her.

He began again, using his heavy boots, again and again. Amelia slowly, so so slowing, curled up, pain radiating through every pore in her body. "Please" she managed to cough.

He stopped, slowly crouching, knees clicking under his weight. He got unbearably close to her, she could feel his breath on her face. "It's a grim world we live in now" he spoke odiously. She closed her eyes, she pictured Owens face, feeling her eyes warm with tears.

"Think of this as a gift…" his voice was moving away again. "From me…" she felt a slight breeze of him lifting his bad, his foot moved to rest against her cheek. "To you"

' _BANG'_ Amelia's ears rang. She felt the bat roll against her. She opened an eye. He stood above her and swayed, back and forth. ' _BANG_ ' another shot, through the neck. A channel of blood lurched away from him, he fell back, limbs thudding against the floor.

Amelia gulped, trying to breathe, but pain waited at the end of each inhalation and exhalation. She closed her eyes, counting ' _one, two, three'_.

She pushed herself up, shrieking in pain. Just beside her the woman still held Amelia's gun. She panted, looking to Amelia, eyes wide. "My…" she said, flinching. "My daughter… she… bathroom" she said, letting go of the gun. It slid from her torso and clunked mutely against the rug. "Okay" Amelia groaned, supporting herself against the wall. She looked around the room, wheezing.

"Through… back" The woman continued, whimpering.

Amelia leant against the wall for a moment longer. Taking note of her injuries; ' _a broken hand, broken ribs…lots of broken ribs…'_ blood dripped from her hair, ' _a head lac. And a lot of bruising…'_ she closed her eyes… ' _so much bruising.'_

She limped across the room, around the beast's body. She stumbled slightly, almost leaning on her bad hand but stopped short. She reached the door and leaned beside it. She strained to lift her good hand, and, ever so gently, knocked. The girl inside flinched audibly. "Hey…" Amelia spoke, trying to sound okay. "It's alright… he's dead" she said, struggling to form her words. "Ray" Her mother shouted, expending nearly all that was left of her energy.

"Mommy" The little girl called from inside.

"The man that was here before… he can't hurt anyone anymore okay?" Amelia said, closing her eyes, wanting so badly to allow sleep to claim her.

"Mommy?" the little girl called out again.

"Sweetie… Your mom isn't doing to great, she's out here. It's okay Ray" the door clicked, and slowly opened. Amelia quickly corrected her posture, not wanting to scare her.

She came into view, she was wearing yellow pyjamas, fluffy clouds all over them. "Hey" Amelia greeted her. The little girl looked up at her, her face bright red from crying. In her arms she held a white and black cat. "Where's my Mommy?" she said, tearfully. Amelia took her in, her strawberry hair was in loose braids, remnants of the love she was a recipient of only hours before. "She's… she's over there, but…" the little girl moved immediately, walking to her mother.

"Mommy…" she knelt beside her. Amelia's consciousness began to waver. She shook her head, pain spiking in response.

She slid along the wall, stopping at the door, peeking along the hall at the open door.

The women handed the gun to her daughter. The little girl shook her head, holding the gun and her cat, tightly in her arms. The cat looked over the girl's shoulder at Amelia, its eyes were golden green. The girl began to cry. "Mommy!" she wailed.

"Go" her mother's voice was tired. "Go…" she shouted, but she was fading. The little girl hiccuped but stood quickly. She turned and walked to Amelia, eyes down, tears falling in cascades. She looked up, her eyes as golden and green as her cats. "Can I bring Ginny" she said, squeezing her cat. Amelia looked to her mother, her chest rose one last time and stilled.

She looked down at the little girl, tears filling her own eyes. Amelia nodded, forcing a smile. The little girl looked back to her parents but looked away quickly, before walking from the house, out into the street. Amelia followed her slowly, limping involuntarily. She let the pain wash over her in thick waves.

Ray waited at the gate, she studied Amelia with rapid eyes. "That way Ray" Amelia said, tilting her head. "See the ambulance" she said, the little girl saw it in the distance and smiled. "Are you a doctor?" she spoke timidly.

Amelia smiled, answering "yes," pushing the word from her throat with effort.

As they approached it, Richard and Arizona spilled onto the road. Ray stopped, gasping. "It's okay Ray, they're with me, more doctors" Amelia said, waving at them with her good'ish' arm.

"What the…" Richard said, observing Amelia's gait, seeing the little girl walking at her side. "Oh my go…" Arizona started towards them.

The adrenaline that had been keeping Amelia up and moving was fast draining and as Richard and Arizona moved towards her she was no longer able to keep herself up.

Richard leapt forward, catching her. "Amelia…Amelia" He called her, checking her pulse; it was strong.

"Hello" Arizona shifted her gaze to the little girl, and her cat, and the gun. "What's your name sweetheart?" she said, crouching in front of her.

"R…Ray"

"I'm Arizona, you wanna ride in the front of the ambulance with me?" the little girl nodded, letting Arizona guide her, following Richard as he carried Amelia into the back of the ambulance. Arizona helped Ray up into the passenger seat.

"Arizona, I need your help" Richard bellowed.

"I'll be right back okay" Arizona said to Ray, smiling and nodding. "That's a beautiful cat" she continued. The little girl's lips quirked into a slight smile. "I'll be right back" she closed the door gently. And ran to the back. "Move the crates from the gurney" he said, still holding Amelia in his arms. She moved quickly, clearing the gurney and helping him place her down on the bed. "Okay go, get driving, the quicker we can get the back the better" he said, already rooting the cupboards. Arizona pulled the plastic off of Amelia's boots, and took off her mask, dropping it on the tarmac as she walked around the the drivers seat.

TBC.

Feedback Always Appreciated x


	6. Chapter 6

The silence in the house was pierced by the sound of crackling gravel under car wheels. Owen gently lifted Ellis from his lap, placing her beside him on the couch, she curled against the back cushions, hugging a worn woolen blanket.

He moved to the window. Rain hammered against it hard, he could barely see out. His stomach dropped when he saw Arizona's expression, distorted by the water running in streams down the glass. He froze. She pulled a child from the ambulance. The back doors swung open and Owen saw Richard. ' _Amelia… Where is she?'_

"Help… we need help, OWEN! ALEX!" Arizona shouted as she brought the girl towards the house. Owen swung the door open. The smell of rain washed in fast with the wind.

"Evelyn can you take the kids upstairs? This is Ray" Arizona spoke with constraint, moving across the room. "Ray this is Evelyn." Evelyn smiled down at her, picking up Ellis and guiding them both upstairs. Alex rushed past them, down the stairs, confused, "Whats goi…" Arizona cut him off,

"Get out to the Ambulance… It's Amelia" she said, speeding out the door.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?" Owen yelled as he ran across the drive. His clothes were quickly drenched by the rain. He stepped up into the ambulance and froze. Amelia was limp on the gurney, loosely covered with a bloodstained blanket. He didn't know that much of the blood wasn't hers, but was Ray's parents, from the bat.

Bruises bloomed brightly all over her arms and chest, exposed to the breeze. Her breathing was erratic and shallow. He kicked through the shreds of her clothing like shallow water, moving toward her. He gasped, "Amelia…Amelia wake up" he cupped her face in his hands, the blood smelled sweet and sickly.

"Owen we need to get her inside" Richard said, passing handfuls of items and equipment from the cupboards out to Arizona and Alex. He stopped, "Owen, pull yourself together! Please! You're the most equipped to help her"

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR EACHOTHER" He cried, hands waving in the air.

"OWEN!" Richard boomed, bending to take the brake off of the gurney. Owen stood still, panting, tears collecting in his eyes. Richard began to roll her out, snapping Owen from his daze. The daylight made the blood appear all the more vivid. Owen grimaced.

They pushed her through to the kitchen and lifted her onto the table. She awoke suddenly, screaming. "OWEN!" she reached out with her left hand, breathing sharply.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay. It alright" he held her hand gently. His other hand ghosted beside her face, fingertips tickling her skin sweetly, the sensation calmed her. "O" she wheezed, gazing at him through lidded eyes. He pressed a kiss against her lips as she let out a sob.

Her eyes were bright blue against the dark blood that coated her face.

"Okay, Robbins get a fresh blanket, she's cold to touch" Owen said, looking down at his wife. "Richard… catch me up?"

"Every…thing… hurts" Amelia searched for Owen's hand again, voice quivering as much as her reaching hand.

He nodded, taking her hand in both of his, kissing it. "I know…. It won't last… okay" he nodded, gently placing her hand at her side. She whimpered, closing her eyes. "Airways appear clear, decreased breathing sounds, subtle hyperresonance, BP is borderline low" Richard listed.

"We need…" Owen began. Arizona entered to room then.

"I found a portable ultrasound" She said, handing it to Owen.

"Perfect…" He pulled back the blanket to expose Amelia's blueing chest. He coated the transducer with gel. "Amelia… try and breathe as normally as you can okay?" He told her, pausing, trying to distance himself. He pressed the transducer down.

She yelped, rolling away sharply before screeching in pain and rolling immediately back. She began to weep, her cries making Owen recoil.

"No, no, no" she wailed, screwing up her face.

Owen set the transducer down, against the table. "Amelia… I" his eyes travelled from her watering eyes to her convulsing ribs, bruises, like nebulas, beginning to form.

Just then Evelyn came in, she gasped, crying "Oh" before moving beside Arizona, who was addressing Amelia's head lac. She took hold of Amelia's hand "It's okay dear, it's okay, it'll be over soon" she spoke soothingly. Amelia opened her eyes and stared unwaveringly into Evelyn's. Owen began again, trying to block out Amelia's painlaiden whimpers.

Nausea gripped him. The lights snapped on in the room, further illuminating the horrors inflicted on Amelia's body. Alex called up from the basement, that he'd turned on the generator.

Owen worked quickly, sliding the transducer across the surface, finding multiple rib fractures. "She has a small pneumothorax on the left side" he spoke, he could hear his mother speaking quietly to a tearfull Amelia. "Fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh ribs broken on the left side" He pulled the transducer away, then started again on the other side.

Alex hustled into the room then, carrying a duffle bag. "I have drugs. Picked them up from the hospital as we were leaving" He said, dropping the bag on the floor and crouching beside it. Owen pulled the blanket up over her chest, and rubbed his hand against his forehead, unknowingly leaving a smear of Amelia's blood there.

His features twisted with worry as he watched her breathe. She was visibly calmer, her eyes were closed. Evelyn still held her hand. She was telling Amelia about they day she had married Owen's father.

"Get her on oxygen. We'll check the pneumothorax systematically, if it doesn't reduce in size I'll perform a tube thoracostomy. If I could I'd get her an epidural infusion of a local anaesthetic"

"We can do that" Alex said, looking up from the bag. Owen turned to him.

"Her radius is fractured" Richard said, still looking down at the monitor of the portable sonogram. Everyone's eyes moved towards him. "Non-displaced" he continued. Alex stood and placed containers of drugs down in front of Owen, and an epidural kit, "I'll go look for a splint" he said, leaving quickly.

Richard looked up at Owen, sighing. "Owen…She's going to be okay" he said, passing Arizona the machine. "Ribs and arm…everything else is bruising" he said, covering Amelia's legs with a second blanket. Owen nodded. He folded his arms around his body and held himself.

Arizona had moved on to Amelia's abdomen, palpating it firmly with the transducer, causing Amelia to wince. Owen peered over her shoulder, analysing the screen. It was clear. They both exhaled with relief.

Arizona turned, locking eyes with him, "Let's get that Epidural done?" she said, raising her brows. She reached out and squeezed his arm comfortingly. Owen fixed his eyes on Arizona, trying to attain some of her calmness. He nodded.

Richard moved around the table and began to prepare the epidural. "Mom…" Owen placed his hand on her shoulder. He stood beside her and she looked up from her crouched position beside Amelia. He nodded, leaning and kissing the top of her head "Thank you" he whispered.

She smiled tightly, a sad smile, her eyes were jaded. She stood and moved aside.

Amelia looked up at him, panic suddenly warping her face in addition to pain. He stooped quickly."Hey… you're okay" Owen said, crouching down so his face was level with Amelia's. She calmed, solaced by the warmth of Owens presence beside her. Her eyes drooped until almost shut, she gazed at him through crescent moons.

"We're going to get you sitting up okay? So we can put in a thoracic epidural" he spoke slowly, nodding. She puffed out a breath before speaking, "Okay."

Her hand searched in a quiet frenzy, for his to hold. "Okay…" he said, squeezing. Hot tears rushed to his eyes.

"Splint!" Alex said, speeding into the room. Amelia's eyes moved in his direction and tracked him as he rounded the table. "Here" he said, delicately strapping it to Amelia wrist. She closed her eyes, feeling some pain leave her body through her fingertips.

"Ready?" Arizona said, now wearing a fresh mask, pulling on some gloves.

"Here" Evelyn said, coming back into the kitchen with fresh sheets in her arms. She tied one to Arizona' front and carried the other to Owen. "Let's get you up" Owen said, standing. "Alex spin her legs, as me and Richard lift her torso."

The movement was swift, barely enough time for Amelia to register the pain of the movement. It was the new position that distressed her. She moaned loudly, pressing her head against Owens abdomen. Arizona draped the second sheet over Amelia's shoulders.

Amelia hissed through her teeth, balling a fist around a handful of Owen's shirt. He supported her weight, hands splayed on her shoulders. He watched Arizona's hands work proficiently.

He felt a stool move against the backs of his knees, "Sit" his mom spoke, gently pressing down on the top of is back. He pulled it closer with his foot and sat. Amelia rest her head heavily on his shoulder. Shaking, her body gently convulsed with sobs. "Owen" she cried. He pressed a kiss against her head. Her hair smelt of ethanol and blood.

"I know…" he said, pursing his lips, as he swallowed his anguish. His mom soothed circles against his back.

"Okay Amelia. Stay very still. This won't take long" Arizona said, pausing for a moment as Amelia panted, as she tried accumulate a new, composed, impervious, head.

* * *

"I'm going to carry her upstairs" Owen spoke without taking his eyes off of her. Rain continued to lash against the windows, a constant rhythm set against the the erratic movement in the house. Amelia was asleep, her breathing was finally steady. Everyone was slowly settling down, Adrenalin easing off, lethargy moving in.

"Someone follow behind and carry the fluids, epidural flask and the oxygen" he asked, his eyes filling with tears. "Owen" Richard said, placing his hand on Owen's shoulder, he flinched, shaking it off. "Alex will you help me?" He spoke quickly, walking around the table. Alex looked between the two men, nodding, "Sure".

"Owen" Richard said again, watching Owen stoop and pick her up. He froze when Amelia whimpered, moving her splinted arm over his shoulder. He padded slowly from the room, careful to not shake her.

"He's just angry Richard" Evelyn said. She sprayed the table with disinfectant and began to wipe it with a sponge. Richard sank down onto the stool. "He needs someone… to be angry at" she rinsed the sponge under the tap. Richard nodded solemnly. "Give him time" she said.

TBC

Review are very much appreciated xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Amelia awoke at the sensation of a warm cloth against her face. She kept her eyes closed, treasuring the painlessness in her chest, the softness of the fabrics that covered her body, the gentleness of the movement of the cloth. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

She found Owen there, beside her on the bed. His face, illuminated by candle light, was a picture of sustained worry. She wanted to brush away the expression with the palm of her hand, but her limbs felt heavy, and she feared that pain that might follow.

A smile transformed him when he saw that she was awake. He continued to wipe the blood from her face. "Hi" she said, only managing a whisper, barely cutting through the patter of rain.

"Hey" he dipped the cloth in the bowl beside his thigh and squeezed it, releasing a pink cloud. He brought it back up to her face and cleaned away the last of the blood, dragging the cloth along her jaw. Her eyes fluttered closed. "How do you feel?"

"Need some water" she swallowed, cringing at the dryness of her throat.

He smiled, lifting the bowl onto the bedside table and picking up a bottle of water. She looked down at her hands, trying to discern which one was hurt and lifted the one without the splint on it and, slowly, took hold of the bottle. Owen kept his fingers on the bottom of the container, helping her guide it to her mouth.

"Better?" he asked, as he screwed the cap back on, not taking his eyes off of her. She groaned softly. "Numb" she said, looking up at the ceiling, then to the window. It was dark out.

"What time is it?"

Owen looked at his watch, "three thirty" he said, "I actually need to..." he picked up the portable ultrasound and placed it beside his knee. She nodded, moving her hand so he could pull down the blanket. "Have you slept?" she asked him, watching as he turned on the machine.

"I've been monitoring this" he said, now staring intensely between screen in his hand and the placement of the transducer on Amelia's chest.

Amelia looked down at her ribs, taking in their weathered appearance. "Can I see?" she asked, his eyes flicked up briefly. "Yeah" he said, shifting closer to her head, being careful not to jog her. He showed her the screen, pressing the transducer down, quietly thankful she had the epidural.

"You pneumothorax has gotten smaller, I don't think we'll need to aspirate"

"Good" she spoke drowsily, moving her head slightly to rest it against his thigh. He put the machine aside.

"Amelia" he pulled up the blanket first, it stuck against the gel. "What happened? Who is the little girl?" he covered her with the duvet. Her eyes fluttered closed.

"I went into a house, looking for some car keys… I was going to… I was going to get the keys and listen for the car in the street" She spoke softly, eyes still closed, relishing in the feeling of Owens fingers tracing along her hairline. "I went in and two people were on the floor...Ray's parents… I thought they had the disease but... they were just beaten up… only her mom was alive… she… she tried to warn me but… but… I turned..." she stopped, wincing as she fought tears. She opened her eyes, looking up at him. He arched down, and ghosted kisses against her forehead.

"I turned and he was there… I froze… I pulled out the gun and he hit it from my hand with a bat… he just kept hitting" she hiccuped, before pressing her hand softly against her sternum. She could barely feel her hand there.

"I fell down... he was about to swing at my head… n' she shot him…Ray's mom...she died" her breathing became laboured. He placed the oxygen mask on her face. Owen sat quietly, watching the even movement of her lungs. "I can't tell you how relieved I am you're okay Amelia. I was so worried" She gazed up at him with smiling eyes.

"This sucks" her voice echoed inside the mask. He chuckled.

"It does really suck" he smirked down at her. Her cheeks dimpled either side of her mask. She pulled the mask away to speak. "Lie down with me?"

"How could I ever refuse" he laughed, shuffling down to lay beside her.

"The cat is cute" Owen said, pressing a kiss to the flexure of her mouth. She smiled, "Ginny."

"Like Harry potter." Owen said. Amelia laughed, reaching blindly for his hand. She wanted, more than anything, to turn onto her side, curl up, and be held by him. "What do you know about Harry Potter?" she said, lightly chuckling.

He feigned an expression of shock before continuing, "You mean; what do I know about the franchise that made it cool to be a ginger!" he said, pointing at his hair. Amelia laughed, before flinching, she whimpered. "Hey, hey… you okay?" Owen looked up at her meds, checking they were running.

She smiled lazily, "my head hurts a bit. Everything here is numb" she hovered her hand over her chest.

"Sleep" he nestled carefully against her side, closing his eyes.

"You sleep too" she said, smiling as he hummed his reply.

* * *

Her eyes seemed to already be open when she gained full consciousness. The curtains were open, hanging asymmetrically with one side pulled back more than the other. She didn't have the strength to care. It had been five days since the incident, the epidural was keeping her oblivious to most of her pain.

Every couple of seconds a drop of rain tapped against the glass. From her position, torso lifted by an organised heap of pillows, she could see charred forest in the horizon; A thick black line between near trees and the sky, like a line of graphite on white paper. She stared so long she thought she could smell it.

'What an odd life' she thought, looking from the window down at her feet. 'Just existing' she was shocked at how unfeeling she was about it. She thought it odd, part of her hoped it was the drugs. Put part of her simultaneously hoped it wasn't, that the numbness would stay, numbness of thought.

"Amelia?" A small voice pulled her mind back into the room. A set of golden, green eyes peered around the door. Amelia smiled, bringing her hands into her lap, gripping her bad hand with the good.

Ray shuffled cautiously into the room, standing just beside the door. She looked down, "Hi" she said. She tugged on a shred of wool hanging from the sleeve of her emerald green knitted cardigan. She was short, tiny, but lanky, she looked as though she'd be tall when she was older. Her hair was still braided, free strands of her strawberry trusses stuck out in all directions.

"Hi... you want to keep me company?" Amelia asked her, she glanced up then and shrugged, before nodding. She tiptoed over and clamoured up onto Owen's side.

"This is pretty" Amelia said, running her finger over the hem of the coral cotton dress Ray was wearing. Ray beamed and ran her hands over it, spreading out the skirt into part of a circle. "Alex got it for me" she said, eyes flicking up to meet Amelia's. Amelia responded with a big smile.

"He did!? He has good taste"

"He got lots of other stuff too. He got me and Ellis some toys" she spoke, almost excitedly, her excitement faded though, as she observed the tube running into Amelia's hand, and the one running to her back. She pouted, and looked down at her hands. "Sorry" she mumbled as she pulled at the tops of her socks, they were too big for her, coming up below her knee.

"Ray" Amelia said, reaching across the space between them and taking her hand. "You don't need to be sorry… nothing that happened was your fault" she ran her thumb across the little girls knuckles. "Okay?" she asked, head lulling to the side as she tried to capture Ray's gaze. Their eyes locked and she smiled, nodding. She kept a hold of Amelia's hand, shuffling, she curled against Amelia's side.

"How is Ginny?" Amelia asked, half smiling. Ray chuckled, "Ginny likes it here" she smiled, "There's no earthquakes so she can go outside."

"Earthquakes" Amelia mumbled, eyes diving off to the charcoal horizon. She tightened her arm around Ray. Ray drew a quarter sized circle against Amelia's stomach with her little finger. She looked up suddenly, her eyes aflame, "She brought in a bird" she smiled, Amelia did too. "It was still alive, so we've been looking after it in a box." She was talking quickly, as though she hadn't been talking until then.

"Wow, I've got to see that" Amelia said, Ray's energy was contagious. The little girl sprang up, beaming. "Now?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

Amelia paused, thinking it over. She hadn't left the top floor since the incident, and had barely left the room.

She matched the girl's smile and nodded. "You'll have to help me though… and go slow" Amelia said as she pulled the duvet aside. Ray nodded, jumping off of the bed and running around to Amelia's side. Amelia slowly moved her legs from the bed. Ray helped her carefully, before reaching out her hand for Amelia's. Amelia smiled, brows furrowing, "have you done this before Ray" she said taking her hands.

Ray nodded, "My daddy had MS" she said, still smiling, taking the flask that held the local anesthetic from Amelia's hand and holding it up like a lantern. "How old are you Ray?" Amelia asked, trying to fathom how many years it had taken for the girl to amass so much maturity. ' _Surely at least twelve… eleven_ ' she hoped, but she knew better.

"I'm seven" she shrugged. "And a half… nearly" she spoke as they ambled across the room, slow, careful steps. "Do you think I could be a doctor?" she asked, staring up at Amelia with vast eyes. Amelia grinned, "definitely" she said.

* * *

"How long will you be like this?" Ray asked, the most recent of her numerous questions. They had just reached the top of the stairs. Amelia held onto the handrail with a tight grip, her whole arm rigid as a log as she supported herself. Ray held onto her elbow, somewhat steadying her from the other side. "I'll hopefully be able to move a bit better soon" Amelia said, distractedly. Her bruised leg throbbed with every step she took.

"Can I braid your hair? My mom just taught me?" Amelia, paused her movements, taking a break. She smiled across at Ray, who stared up with her bright questioning eyes. "If you are very very gentle" Amelia replied, taking the next step. Ray's smile broke into a toothy grin.

"Amelia! What are you doing up?" Owen appeared at the bottom of the stairs. His open hands froze up in front of him.

"I'm coming down to see the bird" Amelia said, not even bothering to look up.

"Here let me help…" He began, starting up the stairs when Amelia stopped him.

"Wait… We're good… Just…" she reached the bottom of the stairs and took his hand "Wait" she sighed, looking up and capturing his lips for a short, firm kiss. They led her to the sofa and she sat, leaning heavily on Owen so she could ease down slowly.

Ray hopped up onto the sofa beside her, still smiling. She still held the flask of anaesthetic in her hand. She started chattering happily about the bird and what it looked like, what it sounded like.

Owen was busying himself around the room. He pulled over a coat stand and grinned down at Ray, she passed him the flask and he hooked it onto the coat stand. He closed and opened hands at the contraption, mouthing "Magic" and she giggled. Amelia could only see Ray, laughing. She tried to turn but Owen stopped her with his hands on her shoulders. "Ray, how about you go and get the bird?"

"Yeah" she said, jumping up and running from the room.

"Bring the box Ray, be careful" Owen called after her. He walked around and slid onto the sofa.

Amelia smiled at him, question in her eyes. "What?" he laughed, enjoying seeing some energy coming back into her being. He slung an arm over her shoulders. "Nothing" she smirked, "Do me a favour and lift my feet up onto the coffee table" she said, leaning and kissing the angle of his jaw.

"Of course me lady" he said, moving to the edge of the sofa and lifting her feet onto the coffee table. She grinned, watching him caress each ankle as he moved them.

Ray walked in slowly, carrying a shoe box. She walked carefully, looking around the box at the floor as she walked. The cat sprinted in with her, dancing around her feet. She giggled, "Ginny was sitting by the box" she sat down next to Amelia and gently placed it on her lap.

She kept her hands on top of the box and leant forward. "You have to go real slow, and be really quiet and gentle" she whispered, still beaming. Amelia nodded, glancing at Owen, her smile letting on to how impressed she was with the little girl.

They lifted the lid up together. The bird was in the center of a man made nest, made of bits of cloth. The birds eyes were closed. It had a yellow beak, black and white stripes on its head. "What kind of bird did we say Ray?" Owen asked, whispering.

"It's a white crowned sparrow" she uttered proudly.

"Its very beautiful" Amelia whispered softly, observing its brown streaked back, wings tucked against it. Its body puffed out as it breathed. Amelia watched it and found a sort of affinity with the creature. She and the bird had both been beaten down, were both recuperating.

She placed the lid back over the box and smiled serenely. "You're doing a really good job Ray" she said, passing the box back to the girl. Ray hugged the box to her stomach as she stood. She smiled softly to herself, bashfully proud.

"She's an incredible kid" Owen spoke softly as she left the room. Amelia, smiled, face still turned to the doorway in Ray's wake. "She is…" she said wistfully.

"Amelia?" Owen, called after her, seeing distance in her eyes. She looked back to him and smiled, traces of melancholy hinting at a sadness. "She has an old soul… she's only seven…" Owen nodded, taking hold of Amelia's hand. "She's a credit to her parents" she said, looking down, absentmindedly observing the textures of the skin on Owen's hand.

Both of them dove into thoughtful silence, contemplating the parental roles that they were both falling into. It had happened amongst so much overwrought movement, that they'd barely noticed it happening, and suddenly... they were parents of sorts, in a world not safe or even deserving of children.

Owen turned to face Amelia the exact moment she turned to face him. They found each others eyes full of warmth and tenderness. They smiled, both suddenly, achingly, relieved… that they had each other by their side.

 _TBC x_

 _Reviews are very much appreciated xxx_


	8. Chapter 8

"Amelia… open the door" Owen called out, standing beside the bathroom door, forehead resting against the cool wood. He heard her groan. "Is she sick again" Alex appeared beside him, Ellis on his back giggling. Owen sighed, nodding. "The damn local anesthetic injections just don't agree with her, I don't know why she wants to keep doing them" Owen said loudly, shaking his head.

"Because they're not narcotics" Amelia belowed. Owen pursed his lips, releasing a breathe through his nose. It had been four weeks since the incident, they'd taken out the epidural and had been injecting small doses of local since then, but it made her nauseous, and sick. "Amelia… open the door" he called again.

"Its locked" he heard her say, before retching again. He cringed, brows twisting.

"Hey" Alex murmured, leaning forward and picking up the zipper on Owens sweater. He pressed it into the ridge on the external part of the lock and turned it, unlocking the door.

"Ahh.. thanks" Owen said, nodding to Alex as he carried on past, bouncing Ellis up and down.

The bathroom was dimly lit through the blinds. Amelia sat half in shadow beside the toilet. Her mouth gaped slightly and she opened her eyes briefly to greet Owen. She groaned again, leaning over the toilet and coughed into the bowl. She she let out a strangled sob, leaning there panting. "Oh Amelia" Owen sped to the sink and wet a towel, "no more injections…" she whimpered. He nodded, lowering down behind her and pulling her limp form against his chest. He pressed the towel against her forehead and she sighed, inclining her head back heavily onto his shoulder. "The pain has been easing off hasn't it?.." he dragged the towel across her cheeks and onto her chest along her collarbone. She hummed, moving her hand, with what energy she had left, to rest on his thigh, her palm was hot. He felt her cheek with the back of his hand, finding it warm and clammy. She murmured. He lifted his arm behind his head, haphazardly pushing the window open.

A cool, soft, breeze rolled in, gently grazing their skin. The hand she had pressed to her unsettled stomach clenched and she groaned, her whole body recoiling. She whimpered as she tensed to sit up. Owen pushed off of the wall, pulling her with him so she could reach the toilet again.

Her stomach contracted again and again with such force that tear spilled from her eyes in cascades. Owen held his palm against her forehead, keeping the loose trusses of hair out of her face. His other hand firmly ran up and down her spine. Her throat burned searingly as the last of the contents of her stomach filled the bowl. She hiccupped, closing her eyes and feeling Owens arms moving around her, flushing the toilet, tearing toilet paper from the roll.

She felt herself reclining as Owen rest back against the wall. She felt the tissue against her chin and her lips. She would have been somewhat embarrassed had she not felt the weight of exhaustion pressing her against him. She felt the cool towel against her skin again and the sensation almost sent her to sleep.

"Okay?…" Owen uttered softly. His free hand drew deliciously gentle patterns against her stomach. It was not longer clenching, but instead just felt achingly bruised from the inside out.

"Nice" she managed to say, in regards to his ministrations against her abdomen. She rest her hand against his thigh again, squeezing it lightly. There was a soft knock on the door, Evelyn's voice traveling through it. She opened it slightly and peeked through. "Can I come in?" she asked warmly. Owen glanced down at Amelia, who barely moved.

"Sure mom" he said. She entered and closed the door with her back.

"Oh sweetie" she said, standing at the door observing Amelia's ashen complexion, the way her body was splayed weightily against Owens. Amelia opened her eyes and managed a tight smile. Evelyn approached them,

"I brought you some ginger ale… I know it helps with your nausea" she said, looking between the pair. Owen smiled thankfully and took the glass from her thankfully.

Amelia perked up slightly, feeling fractionally better having nothing left to throw up. She took a tentative sip of the ale, keeping it in her mouth for a moment, appreciating the taste as opposed to the sourness that have been there before. Evelyn smiled, watching the pair.

Amelia shivered violently, jogging Owens hand. Evelyn hummed and closed the window and leant forward to press the back of her hand to Amelia forehead. Amelia smiled softly, remembering when her mother would do the same. "You're cool dear, the fire is going nicely in the living room… maybe set yourself up on the couch" she said, Amelia nodded, taking another Owen assisted sip of the ginger ale.

"Thank you mom" Owen said, looking up briefly from Amelia.

"I'll leave you" she said, with a nod as she ambled to the door.

"Thanks" Amelia said, finally feeling some strength return to her. He pressed a kiss to her temple, and another.

"You think you're ready to get up?" he said, lips against her scalp. She nodded, placing the glass onto the toilet seat. They stood together slowly. "

Fuck" Amelia sighed, walking wearily to the sink.

She stood still, glaring at her reflection in the mirror. "You sure you still love me?" she said, taking in her pallid skin, her eyes were bloodshot. Owen chuckled, leaning against the wall at her side. "More than I could ever express" he replied simply. She grinned at him, toothbrush hanging out of the side of her mouth, and he laughed again.

She finished up, towel drying her freshly washed face, feeling better than she had only moments before. Owen turned her carefully, and pressed a kiss squarely to her lips, her heart fluttered languidly in her chest. His warmth and his smell prompted her to sink gratefully into his arms. He wrapped her up, arms tightening around her middle. She shivered again and chuckled, "let's get to that fire before I drop dead of hypothermia" she said mid shudder. He laughed, almost carrying her backwards towards the door.

* * *

"Does it hurt when I press here?" Ray pushed gently against Ellis's leg, and Ellis fake whined. "You've broken your leg so I have to wrap it up…" she said, beginning to wrap Ellis's leg with a wool scarf.

"Is the bone straight Ray? You have to check before you put a cast on" Owen said from behind the book he'd not read for ten minutes. He'd been watching the two girls play doctor and patient. Amelia lay beside him, face turned against the back of the couch, feet resting in his lap, sleeping deeply.

Ray smiled up at Owen, before taking off the scarf and walking her fingers along Ellis's shin bone. "What bone is that?" Owen asked her. She looked up to the ceiling, wracking her brain. "Theee…. Tibia!" she said, jutting her index finger up above her head. Owen beamed, nodding emphatically. She went back to feeling along the bone. "It's straight" she said, picking up the scarf again. Ellis watched her intently before seeming to getting bored, flipping sideways onto her knees and crawling towards Richard, who sat in the low arm chair watching them play.

Ray looked across the room to Owen, crossing her legs and leaning her head in her hand. He pretended not to notice her watching him and attempted to read the book again, she huffed. "Owen" sha said, he dropped his book onto his lap, almost graciously, and met her eyes. "How long does it take for a bone to heal?" she asked inquisitively. The light of the fire illuminated her hair from the side, in the flame light it looked almost as red as Owens.

"Well… it depends really" He said, closing the book and placing it on the table beside him. His other hand curved around Amelia's ankle and he soothed it up to her knee and back. "It depends where the fracture is and how old the person is…" he continued. Ray frowned, evidently unsatisfied with the answer. Her eyes went to Amelia, lingering there briefly before moving back to Owen.

"How long will it take for Amelia's bones to heal?" she asked, her tone lilting with curiosity and concern. Owen turned to look at his wife, eyeing her splinted wrist. Her chest rose and fell faintly as she breathed. "Well… about six weeks for all of them to heal up at least" he said.

"Are they nearly healed?" she asked.

"Nearly, a couple more weeks and they'll be good as new"

"Two? Because it's been four weeks?" she nodded, having just counted on her fingers. He nodded too. "When will she stop being sick?" she asked as she crawled the short distance between them and leaned against the sofa base, beside Amelia. "Soon, we're not giving her any more injections, so when they wear off she won't be sick anymore."

Ray pursed her lips, nodding. "Yeeess" Amelia groaned, having heard their conversation. She opened her eyes and turned her head to face the pair. "I can't wait" she said. Ray giggled and gently took hold Amelia's hand.

She'd grown extremely clingy to Amelia, appearing at her side intermittently throughout the day. Amelia had been trying to provide for her, what she hinted at needing, usually affection, a sort of motherly affection. Ray rest her head against Amelia and closed her eyes.

"Good sleep? You feeling better?" Owen asked her, caressing her leg. She nodded, yawning. She ran her hand through her hair, looking around the room, trying to gage how much time had passed since she hand first closed her eyes. The window had become a mirror of the room, pitch darkness had replaced the cloud filtered sunlight.

"My stomach hurts… it feels bruised" Amelia sighed, dropping her head to onto the arm of the chair. As she spoke Ray's hand left her grasp and sat on her stomach, rubbing back and forth. The couple both smiled, looking from her to each other. Amelia threaded her fingers through Ray's hair in appreciation. "You hungry Ray?" she said, Ray peered up and grinned. "I am…" she continued, "how about you keep Ellis busy in here and I make us something?" Ray's eyes widened in excitement.

"Can we have hot food!?" she asked. Amelia smiled, glancing up at Owen.

"I'll see what I can do" she said, ruffling Ray's hair and tickling her under the chin. Ray giggled thickly and rolled onto her back on the floor. Amelia twisted on the sofa and reached down, tickling her more. She squealed ecstatically and Ellis started babbling, tottering over and jumping onto Ray, both of them shrieked in fits of laughter.

Amelia grinned, sitting back, reaching blindly for Owen's hand as a sadness crept in. He saw the contrast immediately and gripped her hand with firmness, trying to keep her from falling too deep into that feeling. It had been a common occurrence, in times when they were happy, or even content, guilt would move in like an illness. They would feel guilty because they were okay, because they were able to feel happy. Owen pulled her hand up to his lips, drawing her eyes to him. He smiled, "come on" he said, indicating towards the kitchen with a tilt of his head.

* * *

"Hey, you're up, are you okay? feeling better?" Arizona asked as she opened a bag of pasta. She spoke quickly, eyebrows raised, hands moving fast.

"Err yeah I am… what's up with you?" Amelia said slowly, observing Arizona's irate condition. She stood beside her at the counter, moving with contrasting sedation. Arizona stilled her hands, and sighed, almost breathless.

She looked up at Amelia, and across the room to Owen. "I… I'm just really restless" she said, going back to the pasta, scooping handfuls into a pan, "I'm struggling for enough things to do… and" she glanced over at Owen before moving closer to Amelia. "Seriously, I feel like the only lesbian alive" Amelia, pouting her smile, nodded softly, appreciating Arizona's candidness. "Who knows maybe I am! God help me" she whined, fanning her hands out infront of her animatedly.

"Pasta?" she looked up quickly, eyebrows raising again. Amelia nodded "go ahead and make it for everyone Arizona" she grinned sympathetically, squeezing Arizona's shoulder. "Who knows, maybe Megan or Evelyn just need help out of the closet" Amelia continued briefly side-eying Owen. His mouth gaped open in shock.

"Hey!" he shrieked. Amelia half ignored him, chuckling slightly, pursing her lips into a smile at Arizona.

Arizona huffed, placing the pans of pasta, that she had just aggressively filled, onto the oven hobs. "If only…" she said, offering a lopsided smile towards Amelia.

It was then that Richard charged into the kitchen. "There someone outside" is all he said, flying back through the door. There was a collective inhalation between the three, wide eyes tethering to each others before they all rushed out after him. They heard heavy doors slamming outside.

An unease filled the air, eyes grew wide. "What the…" Richard moved to the window. "Oh no…" he uttered, his movement becoming quick. Everyone moved to the windows.

"The… the army?" Amelia, sped across the room and swept Ellis up from the floor. There was a hammering against the door. Everyone stood still, mouths gaping, eyes on eachother. The front door shook on its hinges as they hammered against the wood again.

Owen nodded, and began walking towards the door. "Owen!" Amelia called after him, taking a step his way. Owen opened the door and there was quiet. Before they heard a deep shout from Owen. He stammered into the room backwards, struggling, tangled in the arms of a soldier, "No…we.." he managed to say, before he was rendered preoccupied; another soldier accosted him and overpowered his efforts. Everyone had backed against the opposing wall except for Amelia.

"Please don't resist, we are here to help you, we will be taking you to our compound where you will be safe" A soldier spoke loud and firm. Owen struggled in their grip. Amelia stepped forward, tears in her eyes. "Please, don't hurt him, he's not a threat" she said, reaching her free hand out slightly, a silent request to touch him.

"Please collect your things and return back to this room. You have five minutes" he continued, showing no intention of releasing Owen.

Both children had started to cry. Nobody moved. "You either collect your belongings or leave with nothing" the second soldier bellowed much louder than the first. The room gasped, Arizona moved first, rubbing Rays shoulders as she guided her up the stairs, Evelyn and Megan followed, hurriedly behind. Everyone left quickly after, leaving Amelia, holding Ellis, whose distress was making it more and more difficult to bare the pain of her ribs.

"Please let me just go with her… She's my wife, she's injured, I need to help her" Owen said. The soldiers looked between themselves, then at Amelia, before one let go. "Five minutes" the other said, letting go and shoving Owen forward slightly. Owen twisted on the spot to look back at them as he backed towards Amelia, glowering.

TBC x

Feedback hugely appreciated xxx


	9. Chapter 9

"Owen why are they doing this!" Amelia threw what little belongings she had left into her bag and scanned the room, hands on her waist. Owen shook his head, mouth hanging open in an expression of fervent anxiety.

"This is the government trying to get control of the situation, they'll get everyone together, get all the supplies, and they'll ration everything, try and set up a new… society" he said, lifting his bag onto the bed with soft grunt that told Amelia his shoulder still hurt.

"Isn't that good?" she asked, turning to face him squarely.

"Maybe…" he said, nodding, looking off into nowhere. "But we don't know who is at the top of this 'government'" he hooked his fingers as he said 'government'. "Everything is different… there's no accountability…I don't know…. I just don't think this is a good idea." he shook his head again, looking listlessly down at his bag. ' _We don't have much choice._ ' he yanked his bag up, slinging it onto his shoulder, looking up at his wife. "Ready?" the word had extra weight to it. Amelia fell into his eyes and swallowed back some nausea.

* * *

The children sobbed themselves to sleep on the journey. The adults sat mute, waiting, watching the road dissolve into blackness behind them. No one slept.

The truck only had windows at the back doors, they sat almost knee to knee, all at various points wishing they were knee to knee, craving the comfort of contact.

Roughly an hour had past when the first set of gates closed behind them. The first of three. By the time they had reached the third, floodlights illuminated the landscape. Bright, white light sat like snow on the concrete. The cold air was painful to breathe as it rushed through the open doors. They piled out tiredly. Standing felt foreign.

The building before them was spanning as opposed to reaching. Bluish lights shone from the windows coldly. They were led past rows of parked military vehicles and in through wide doors that closed harshly and clunked locked behind them. Their anxiety was stemmed slightly by the familiar environment, the air smelt of hospital bleach, the floor was the same off-white coloured linoleum that they were used to. Nurses and doctors passed across the hall.

They were ushered along by a new warmer individual, still mostly covered in protective clothing, into a room filled with shower cubicles. A long, shoulder height wall divided the space. Someone followed in behind them with an empty trolley. "Males this side, females this side. Place all of your belonging into these bags, write your full name onto the label and place it into this trolley, shower until the water turns off and put on the provided gowns."

Someone entered with a stack of gowns in clear plastic packaging, walking past the group wordlessly and laying them out in a line on the benches either side of the divide.

With that, the strangers left the room, the doors closed automatically behind them. A light above the door that gleamed green, snapped to red and the doors locked. The group stood in a stunned silence, eyes slowly moving from the light to each other. They all walked impishly to the trolley, pulling the plastic bags free, taking turns with the pens, stating their names on the labels.

Amelia waited beside Owen as he wrote his name, savouring the warmth he cast against her, she compressed a kiss to his shoulder as he dotted a full stop at the end of his name.

* * *

Room, to room, to room they went. Showering, blood testing, blood pressure checks, heart rate, oxygen levels. Amelia was given a new splint.

The last room they were taken to was lined with enough beds for all of them. In the corner a door gave way to a small bathroom with a shower. They filed into the room, quietly looking around. It crossed many of their minds that they could easily imagine they were back at grey sloan; the same bedding, the same colour schemes. It was colder though, and as the door locked behind them, any illusions they may have had were destroyed.

Ray peered up at Amelia, her skin and hair appearing vibrant against the gown she was wearing. "Amelia I need the toilet" she whispered, letting Amelia guide her across the room to a bed. Amelia nodded and lolled her head sharply towards the toilet. "That's okay Ray, go ahead" she said, trying to sound as calm and unruffled as possible, not wanting to make Ray any more frightened. Ray smiled and let go of Amelia's side quickly, running across the room to the toilet.

Owen sat on the bed beside her, restrained uncertainly had transformed his features the moment they had stepped from the truck. The lights dimmed slightly, as if to signal it was time to sleep. No one spoke. They just sank down into their beds. Ellis was sound asleep wrapped around Alex' torso, having been overtired by the rush of events that evening. He pushed the button at the side of the bed, bringing the head up slightly and reclined against it with a tired sigh.

Amelia sat unmoved. As did Owen. Evelyn was standing, leaning beside Megan, talking softly to her, she leaned to drop a kiss against her temple. She wandered over to Owen and fanned her hand through his hair, trying to absorb some of the stress that was paining him.

"Get some sleep sweetheart" she said, cupping the back of his head softly and pressing a kiss to his forehead. He nodded, relaxing slightly, looking up at his mom. "Goodnight mom" he said, brushing his hand against her forearm.

"I'm sure Amelia could fit here beside you…" she continued, looking down and patting the bed. Amelia smiled softly, nodding agreeably. "Goodnight Evelyn" Amelia said, appreciating the woman's ability to inject warmth into the coldest of situations. Evelyn stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her, soothing her palm against her back before retreating back to her bed, wishing the others goodnight as she went.

Owen sought Amelia's gaze, and nodded down at the space beside him. She stood without hesitation and joined him. "Ray" she said, pausing their efforts to get comfortable. "She'll fit" he said, pulling up the bars at his side of the bed and settling with his back to it. He solidly pulled her against him, spooning her. Ray came out and glanced at Amelia's bed in panic.

"Ray" Amelia said, pulling Ray's attention her way. Ray turned to look her way sharply and smiled when Amelia pat the space in from of her, speeding over and clambering up and under the blankets, coiling against Amelia chest.

Ray fell asleep first. Owen was subdued into sleep with his face in the crook of Amelia's neck. Amelia fell last. She craved the darkness she was used to, and the silence. The air conditioning rattled continuously. The sound faded into white noise gradually, as the threads holding her to consciousness loosened and unmoored, letting her spiral into a dream.

* * *

"No… wait, excuse me what is this for? What does it mean?" Amelia asked, standing up and stepping after them. She stopped just beside the end of her bed and toyed with the purple medical wristband a nurse had just secured around her wrist. The door locked with a clunk following the nurses exit from the room. It was the morning after their arrival.

Owen rose from the bed beside her and lifted her arm, his brows furrowed. The band was completely blank, obviously the colour meant something. "They're not using common colour coding…we'd use this colour for a restricted limb" he said. She nodded, looking up at him almost breathless with curiosity, and worry.

"Why aren't they communicating with us?" she said, sinking down and arranging the hospital gown, pulling it over her knees.

Alex huffed loudly, seemingly reaching the end of his rope again, walking confidently to the door and banging on it hard. Bellowing loudly, "will somebody please tell us what's going to happen"

"What if I have the disease?" Amelia uttered, perching her feet at the base of the bed and hugging her knees. The room fell silent apart from the ringing of the fluorescent lights overhead.

"Amelia, I can't see how… I'm sure we'd know by now" Owen sat beside her. He radiated warmth that, in the superficial chill of the room, relaxed her into his side. He glanced down at the band again, threading his fingers through hers. His band, and everyone else's was white.

Arizona stood up, bare feet slapping against the linoleum floor as she walked over to a trolley that sat in the centre of the room. She crouched beside it, rummaging through the draws. She huffed after a few moments and stood, hands on her hips.

"Arizona?" Owen spoke, taking in Arizona's frustration. Ray, got up from her bed and sped, with light feet, across to Amelia, jumping up onto the bed and curling against her. "I was just looking to see if there was anything I could use to examine Amelia" she threw her hands up slightly, padding back to her bed. "But there's nothing, just bandages."

Amelia's breathing became shallow. Her eyes widened and she looked back down at her wrist band. "Oh…" she breathed, slowing sitting up straight.

"Wha…" Owen asked her, the hand that had once held her now hovering at her side.

"Um… No, It's… I'm… Headache" she said. Quickly standing, catching Arizona's eye.

Ellis whimpered, shimmying out of Evelyn's arms onto the floor. Evelyn stood and shadowed her as she walked haphazardly around the room.

Amelia sped to the bathroom, locking eyes with Arizona as she went. Owen, sat, baffled, receiving Ray into his arms in the wake of Amelia's absence.

"Amelia…" Owen said, unaware of her internal thought processing, thinking only that she was worried it was the virus. She disappeared into the bathroom. Arizona stood and held a hand up in Owen direction as she followed after her, "It's okay" she said, nodding to him.

Arizona closed the door and locked it. Amelia was leaning against the opposite wall, face pallid, eyes wide. "Amelia… what's wrong?"

"I… I think I'm… this means…" she lifted her wrist towards Arizona, they both looked down at the wrist band. She gazed back up to meet Arizona's concerned eyes.

"I think I'm pregnant" she said, the words left her lips in a whisper. Arizona froze, before crossing her arms and brushing her fingertips against her lips. "Shit" she muttered.

Amelia moved to the sink, eyeing herself in the mirror. She turned on the faucet and rest both her hands under the icy flow, forcing out a long, shaky breath.

"Are you late?… how late are you? Have you been having symt…"

Amelia interrupted her, "I'm not necessarily late, I've just been very light the past two… three months… and out of sync… I thought… It still could just be stress" she brought her hands up to her face, water dripped down to her elbows onto the floor. Arizona nodded, slowly pacing now. She stopped and began to scrutinize Amelia's appearance, trying to discern any change to the width of Amelia's hips, tilting her head in concentration. "But you haven't hand any other symptoms?" She asked, shaking her head.

Amelia dabbed her face dry with a large grey towel and sat on the closed toilet. She hugged the towel against herself and slumped. "I don't know… After the incident everything hurt, I've been nauseous since it happened, and sick, because… of the drugs. My back was hurting, maybe that was… is a symptom" she said, slowly looking up to meet Arizona's gaze. "My breasts are still sore, so maybe that… they might be bigger… oh god" she whined, pressing her face into the towel, shaking her head.

Arizona lunged quickly, kneeling in front of her. She soothed her hands along the outer sides of Amelia's legs. "Amelia, stop, it's okay… it's going to be okay… they'll be doing all the tests, and they'll examine you… or I can now… before we start drawing conclusions…"

Amelia puffed out a breath into the towel and whimpered. She looked up, unexpectedly comforted by Arizona's calm exterior. Arizona, pouted a smile, pushing Amelia's hair over her shoulder and gently squeezing it. "If you are pregnant, and if you're twelve weeks I might even be able to palpate the uterus, if you're earlier than that I'll still be able to feel it internally. Then we'll know… then you can freak out" she chuckled, observing Amelia's frightened expression.

Amelia smirked halfheartedly and nodded. "Okay?" Arizona confirmed. Amelia inhaled, nodding again as she gained some composure. "Yeah" she said, sighing and and threading her fingers through her hair.

Arizona stood and pulled another towel from the rack, laying it down on the floor. "I'll be right back…" she said, as she unlocked the door. Amelia jumped up, eyes opening wide in sudden panic.

"Don't tell…" she started, stopping when Arizona threw her hand up, smiling tightly.

"I won't… I'm just getting some gloves" she said, leaning towards Amelia slightly, keeping her eyes fixed on hers hoping to instill some calm.

* * *

"Relax Amelia… relax your stomach muscles" Arizona said, hands in a places that Amelia wished they weren't. She let out a long breath and drilled her eyes to the ceiling above her. ' _How did this happen?..How did I let this happen?..I thought we were being safe…maybe Owen did this on…'_ she winced slightly, as Arizona applied firm pressure against her lower abdomen. ' _No… no he wouldn't… that one night… our first night… that must have been it…Ow_ ' she winced, her whole body flinching. Arizona paused and glanced up at her. "Sorry… We're nearly done" she said, focusing back down.

"What do you think?" Amelia asked, her voice sounding meek. Arizona pulled her hands away, taking off her gloves. She pulled down Amelia's gown. "I'm thinking that you are pregnant… around twelve weeks" she said. "The size of your uterus indicates about that" she continued. Amelia slowly pulled her legs together and brought her hands up to her face.

"It's going to be okay Amelia… this place… we're in the best place for this right now" she said. Amelia remained completely still, only her chest moved with each shallow breath. "Amelia…" Arizona prompted, feeling palpable sympathy for her, she could only imagine how frightening it was for her.

"Could you… get Owen please?" she spoke quietly against her hands.

"Of course" Arizona said, using the door handle to pull herself up. She shimmied through it without opening it widely, standing just outside, hand still grasping at the handle as she called in, a very concerned, Owen.

In seconds he was there, his face twisted with worry and he almost slammed the door, in a rush to get tow her. "Amelia what, happened?… Why are you…what's going on?" he chattered quickly, eyes darting all over her.

She regarded him with teary eyes and took his hand, pulling herself to sit up. "Owen… I…" she said. He grimaced with worry. She looked up at his face, taking in his angst. Seeing him so distressed brought a wash of calm across her. She crossed her legs and puffed her breathing.

"I'm pregnant" she blurted, barely registering the words leaving her mouth. His hands skimmed thoughtlessly from her shoulders down her arms, his face fell blank.

"Arizona thinks twelve weeks" she continued, studying his eyes. There was a knock at the door. They ignored it.

"Amelia…" he uttered, his lips forming a smalls circle. His eyes grew wide as he tried to take in what she was saying.

His dropped his gaze to her stomach. Amelia shuddered and shuffled towards him, he pulled her onto his lap. There was another knock at the door. Someone called Amelia's name. She looked towards the door, feeling Owen place his hand against her stomach. "One minute" she called out, turning back to Owen. He was looking down at where his hand was placed. Fear made her chest grow tight and she swallowed back the feeling.

"Is she sure?" he asked, transfixed with the notion that a child, a baby… their baby, could be growing inches from where his hand rest.

Amelia observed his awe, and tried to remain collected. She looked up, focusing on the tufts of orange hair sticking out in disarray at the back of his head. "She…" she cleared her throat, trying to shake the paralyzing fear that was clutching at her. "She examined me…" Owen looked up slowly. "My uterus was enlarged" she looked down then, at her stomach, slowly moving her hand there. "Owen, I…" she shook her head, suddenly short of breath.

"It's okay… " he pulled her tighter against him, she rest her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. Her fingertips dug into the flesh of his back, she breathed deep, drinking in his smell.

There was another knock at the door, "Mrs Shepherd-Hunt" they said, the unfamiliar voice was softened by the wood of the door.

The pair looked to one another, in immediate unease. They stood together, not even aware of how tightly they each held onto the other's hand. Owen stopped Amelia reaching from the door, capturing her other hand in his.

He took her in, her eyes were wide and wet, she was flushed. Her hair, dark against the bleached gown that dwarfed her, framed her face in disorganised waves. Her hair had grown so much in the past couple months. The gown dipped against her sternum between her breasts.

She watched his eyes dancing around her form, her lips, rich cerise, opened ever so slightly. He stood awkwardly, holding onto both her hands like he needed them for support. He dropped his head, feeling momentarily drained. She squeezed his hands and he looked up at her, eyes searching from beneath his furrowed brows. She smiled a weary, lopsided smile and leant towards him, rising onto the balls of her feet, kissing him indulgently. Their eyes fluttered closed, arms looped around each other, tightening painfully. A knock shook the door again. And they broke apart.

* * *

"Mrs Shepherd-Hunt we need to take you for further testing" A man stood just outside the door, a wheelchair to his right, he held one of the handles in his hand.

He was a broad man, dressed in burgundy scrubs, clean shaven, mousy brown hair. Around the room everyone stood, and sat, silently observing the situation. Amelia stepped out first. She looked down at the wheelchair and back up at the man. "Do I really need that? I can walk just fine" she said, gesturing at the chair and shaking her head. "Yes Mam it is our policy" he replied monotonously.

Amelia looked up at Owen, then back at the gentleman. "Can my husband come?" she said, hopefully, glaring at the stranger.

He looked up at Owen too, lifting a file from the back of the chair and turning to a page. His eyes ran across the paper and he nodded. "Yes he can" he said, moving behind the chair and grabbing both handles, rolling it towards Amelia. Amelia squeezed Owens hand one last time before letting go, turning towards him and sitting down. She clasped her hands together tightly, feeling terribly small and alone in the chair. Owen caught onto that fact as they left the room, he reached out and took hold of her hand, enveloping it with both of his. He smiled warmly at her, mouthing "we're okay."

A breeze rolled past them as they walked, making them both feel lacking and naked. She nodded faintly and eyed the path before them, wrapping an arm across her stomach.

TBC x

Feedback hugely appreciated xxx


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello, I'm Dr Wyler… nice to meet you" a female doctor smiled, meeting them out in the hall. Her mousy hair wisped out to the side as she stopped before them.

She shook Amelia and Owens hands, taking their names, and walked around, taking control of the wheelchair, dismissing the gentlemen in the burgundy scrubs. She pushed Amelia around a corner into a small ward like area and into a side room. She pushed the chair beside a desk and signalled for Owen to sit in the chair beside her. The women had an energy to her, one that eased some of the couples tension.

She sat down at the desk with a sigh and a smile, "right" she said, sliding a green file towards her and opened it. Amelia sat up straight, trying to see the page. "So… can I call you Amelia?" she said. Amelia nodded, squeezing the hand that Owen had rest of her knee. "Now before we get started, do you have any questions about anything that's happening? Has anyone spoken to you and your group?" Amelia and Owen glanced at each other.

"Uhh.." Owen stuttered, trying to gather his thoughts quickly, not expecting to have the opportunity. "No one has…" Amelia said.

"What is this place?" Owen asked. The mood suddenly morphing into one of thirst.

"This is the a military base. You're in the military hospital. The whole base has been adapted to suit its new purpose which is as a new settlement for survivors."

"What's going to happen?"

"You've all been cleared and don't have the disease. You'll be in the hospital for another…" she looked down at the file, "two more days, then you'll move to residential"

"Will we all be together?" Amelia asked.

"Yes you will be, You'll be in a block of your own" she said, nodding and pressing her palms against the desk. The couple fell quiet then. "Is that everything for now?" she asked, the pair nodded, sinking back into their nervousness.

"Okay… right, let's get to it…Are you aware that you are pregnant?" she said, bringing her hands together on the desk.

Amelia glanced quickly at Owen, "Yes… only recently…" she said, inhaling and shaking off the resistance to talk. "I had an accident about four weeks ago, I'm sure that masked the symptoms" she continued, more confidently.

Dr Wyler nodded and readied herself to stand. "Right… okay, well we're going to carry out all of the usual checks. Just to make sure everything is going to plan… okay?" she questioned, smiling at the pair as she rolled out from the table.

"Sure" Amelia appeared composed, only the strength at which she gripped Owens hand indicated her inner turmoil.

"I'm just going to weigh you, take your height… what is your original weight?" she said, guiding Amelia across the room to the scales. Dr Wyler held a clipboard in her hand and wrote down the measurements as they became apparent.

Owen sat quietly in the chair, watching, worried and curious. Amelia moved about the room, being measured and prodded. She'd meet his eyes every so often and smile slightly, though her eyes offered up mostly fear, and that fact made him want to walk across the room, stop all the tests and just hold her. He thought he could actually see that she was pregnant now; her hair, her breasts, her waist, just small changes that he hadn't noticed before, maybe all in his head. The realisation made his heart thump hard in his chest.

Amelia had to admit she appreciated the conversation, having been around the same people for the past three months. Even if it did include having to bare parts of her body that she wouldn't readily agree to after just twenty minutes of knowing her. "Okay you can pull your legs down from the stirrups now and lie flat for me" she said, guiding Amelia back by her shoulder.

She laid a blanket across Amelia's legs and tugged up her gown to reveal her stomach. "Owen do you want to come closer" she asked, as she multi tasked, writing a note onto the clipboard and pulling over the sonogram machine.

He hurried to shift his chair closer to Amelia, thankful to be involved and by her side again. Dr Wyler placed the clipboard down and began to palpate Amelia's stomach. "Your hormone levels indicate you're around twelve weeks… does that sound right?" she asked, blinking up at Amelia as she pressed against her abdomen. Amelia nodded distractedly, eyes fixed on Dr Wyler's busy hands. She felt numb with fear.

"Okay Amelia…I'm going to carry out a sonogram… Just relax" she said, drawing out her last words in a breath, preparing the equipment. Owen pulled Amelia from her mind, taking hold of her hand,

"Hey… it's okay" he whispered depressing a kiss against her forehead. The contact comforted her and she immediately wanted more, tugging his hand gently, meeting his lips. Dr Wyler continued her preparations. When she squeezed the gel onto her skin Amelia gasped against his lips and Owen chuckled, dropping another kiss against her forehead.

"Okay… there's baby" Dr Wyler twisted the screen slightly to face the pair.

Amelia held her breath… she and Owen could both see it; a healthy baby. Owen leaned forward slightly, across Amelia, to see the screen better. His mouth hung open, tears in his eyes. Amelia's eyes ran around the circumference of their baby's head, at the perfectly sized mass in the center, the brain, the beautifully forming… brain.

"Owen" she whispered. He smiled down at her kissing her sloppily. Their lips stretched into wide smiles, Dr Wyler stood in awe, "you seem very capable at interpreting the sonogram, are you medical professionals?"

They both nodded, clinging to one another, focus remaining fixed on the sonogram. The image blurred through both of their eyes as they filled with tears again. Their child's heart fluttered delicately.

Suddenly the image moved in sync with an audible rhythm and they both gasped. Dr Wyler beamed at them, feeling her own eyes begin to water, thankful too, for the hope that a new life brought.

They spent the next thirty minutes analysing every possible aspect of the baby, and Amelia's uterus, discovering that everything was progressing as good as could be. Another thirty minutes passed by, Dr Wyler took all of Amelia's medical history.

"Now this clean bill of health doesn't mean you won't have to make changes… the past couple of months will have been very stressful on you and the baby, you need to try to avoid stress…." Dr Wyler leaned forward against her desk. Amelia frowned. "Now I know what you're thinking, but now that you are in this facility I think you'll be able to… you need to just take it easy" Owen nodded more fervently than Amelia did. "Have you been having morning sickness?" Amelia worried her lips.

"Maybe… I had been having local anaesthetic injections for my injury and we thought I was having a bad reaction to it so…"

"Did you have any this morning?"

"Yeah… but I'm not sure that the local has completely worn off" Dr Wyler nodded, continuing her notes.

"Right… well, we'll keep an eye on that. Has it been very bad?" she asked and Amelia shrugged, looking up. Owen seemed dissatisfied with her answer. "It's been bad" he said, Amelia eyed him sharply.

"I don't want any drugs" she said, quickly turning back to Dr Wyler.

"That's okay, I'll put you on 25 mg of vitamin B6, to take three times a day, as well as your basic prenatal vitamins. I'll get the nurses to get you some ginger tea, and ale… biscuits?" she said. Amelia smiled, "sure" she said, smirking at Owen, both of them surprised at how warm and friendly the women was.

"You're at the end of your first trimester so it should be easing off soon, I want to see you for your next appointment in two weeks, after that every four weeks until you're twenty eight weeks, Okay?" she said, leaning down to collect the vitamins from a draw.

"Mmhm" Amelia said, feeling more overwhelmed by the second. She laid her arms across stomach and closed her eyes, inhaling an even breath, she felt Owen's hand on her thigh.

"I'll walk you back" Dr Wyler said, smirking. The dynamic was one that she was familiar with, a frightened mother, and the over-eager, likely to be overprotective, father.

They stood and Amelia wrapped her arms around herself, shrugging her shoulders as a chill running through her. She craved the day that she'd get her clothes, or any normal clothes. Owen curled his arm around her shoulders, the vitamins rattling in his hand.

Dr Wyler paused at the door, looking over Amelia, shivering in her hospital gown and tightened her lips. She walked to her desk and bent behind it, lifting up a navy zip up fleece. "Here" she held it up, towards Amelia, smiling warmly. Amelia hesitated, "please, I have some others" she continued, walking closer to Amelia and opening the garment for her to put on.

* * *

"So what did you do… before?" Dr Wyler asked, walking beside them as they walked down a long corridor back to their room. "We're both surgeons" Owen said, glancing across at the woman. "All but two of the adults in our group are." her expression twisted into one of surprise and she slowed.

"Really? What kind?" she said, folding her arms. "Well I'm trauma. Amelia is…"

"Neuro" Amelia looked up from the sonogram picture in her hand.

"And then we have pediatric, general, and foetal" he continued. Amelia listened vaguely, her main spread of attention was on the image. "Wow… Okay, well, we may call on you all some time" she said, nodding frantically. Owen smiled, nodding slightly, looking to Amelia. He smirked and draped his arm across her shoulders, pulling her tightly to her side. She was mesmerized by the image.

"This is you …" Dr Wyler said, pausing beside the door and pulling out her key card. "If you need to see me, just let the nurses know…" she glanced in through the door's rectangular window.

"My first name is Nina by the way, it was really nice to meet you" she smiled sweetly, tucking a curl of sandy hair behind her ear and reaching out, placing her hand against Amelia's shoulder. The couple smiled genuinely, relieved to have finally met someone who didn't treat them like criminals.

She unlocked the door and waved them in. "Rest, Amelia, and I'll come and see you in a couple of days to check on your morning sickness" she said lastly, Amelia nodded.

"Thank you Nina" Amelia said, turning back to her as she walked into the room, Arizona stood up, greeting Owen with a concerned smile. Ray jumped up and ran to Amelia. "Oh Nina?" Amelia called after her quickly, before the door closed. Nina stopped and moved into the room, "you wouldn't be able to get something for the kids to play with? They're bored out of their minds" she asked, hopefully. Ray clung to Amelia, face against her stomach. She looked up shyly.

Nina came into to room a fraction, meeting everyone's eyes and smiling. She saw Ellis at the end of a bed, a cardboard toilet roll center in her hand, a smiling face, with an eye lacking, drawn on it. She chuckled, looking back to Amelia, "I'll see what I can find" she said, nodding.

Ray tugged of Amelia's arm, peering up at her, "Ginny" she whispered, immediately pressing her face back against Amelia's stomach. "You…" Amelia began, looking back to Nina, who had sensed that there was more. "You don't know when we'll get our cat back?" Amelia asked her, laying her hands against Ray's back, sonogram held between two folded fingers.

"I'm sure you'll get her back in a couple of days, maybe sooner…Listen, is there anything I can get anyone else, I know they aren't particularly good at communicating in this ward?" she said, looking around at everyone.

Everyone gawked at her, pausing their movement as they tried to quickly decide whether to trust the women. Arizona stood up from her bed and stepped once towards where the Woman stood beside Amelia. "Some…" she began, pulling her gown around herself tighter, "Some clothes… will we get our clothes back?" Arizona met the Nina's eyes. Nina smiled, nodding slightly. "You'll get your clothes back when they move you to the residential area in a couple of days but I'll gather up some clothes for you today" she spoke clearly to Arizona, not moving her blue orbs from hers.

Arizona grinned appreciatively, "Thanks" she said.

"Owen said you're all doctors?" She asked, glancing around, gaze gravitating back to Arizona's. Arizona nodded again "I'm Foetal and pediatric" she said, before pointing to everyone else, naming their specialty.

"Well, we'll almost definitely have work for you all, if you're up for it?" She said, crouching down to greet Ellis, who had slipped from the bed and dawdled over to her. "Hey" she whispered, beaming at Ellis.

"Sure" Arizona said, folding her arms across her chest in an effort to attain some modesty. Nina stood, ruffling Ellis' hair.

"Okay, I'll get some clothing, it may just be scrubs but anything is better than the hospital gowns. Bring it to you in a little while, Okay?" she backed towards the door, scanning the room, nodding. The group had perked up, smiling toothily, "Yes thank you doctor" Evelyn spoke up.

TBC x


	11. Chapter 11

The morning was crisp, as crisp as the gravel giving way underfoot. Each quiet breath sent a white plume out from their mouths as they walked across the base. Nebulous clouds rolled slowly across the overcast sky and birds flew mutely overhead.

They had been woken early that morning. Nina had forewarned them the day before, so it hadn't been much of a shock.

It was, however, a strain for Amelia, who had concluded her sickness was in-fact, morning sickness, and it was continuing at full force. She had been ripped from sleep an hour before everyone else, and was found asleep against the toilet by Owen after thirty minutes. She was now walking in a trance, eyes mostly closed as she struggled to keep from throwing up.

* * *

It was eerily quiet on the base. They walked together, shoulders brushing softly as they swayed in step. The buildings changed from sprawling buildings, like the hospital, to huts laid out in grids.

"This here is yours" the soldier that had been leading them stopped beside the door to one of the huts and pulled a whole bunch of keys from his jacket pocket. He opened the door and handed them to Richard.

"Your food stores are stocked, you have a limited number of tokens per person each week, which you can use to get your rations. You will be given work based on your previous occupation, you will find out your roles ahead of the weekend. I recommend you settle in here for now, sleep, eat. Feel free to head out around nine. You'll find a map of the base inside and you'll also see a landline with a code book. If you have any needs, questions, or request's, call the support line 4402" He stopped abruptly, straightening up and marching off without another word.

Ray jumped up and down beside Arizona, "Can I go in?" she squealed excitedly, springing up onto the step and jumping. Her eyes danced around the group, hesitating briefly on Amelia's ashen face. "Go" Arizona said, walking towards her with an energized grin, following her up the steps with Ellis bouncing happily on her hip.

"Come on…" Owen uttered quietly, wrapping his arm around Amelia's. She moved forward, every step making her stomach clench painfully. 'I need to lie down' she thought, pressing close to Owen as they slowly migrated down a long hall.

Through the first door on their left, Ray was jumping on a single bed. Arizona was just walking back to the hall after having settled Ellis in a crib. She grinned at the pair as she approached the door. "This place is great, I'm right across the hall from these two, and there's a double in there for you?" she said, gesturing to the second door on the left. She disappeared through the first door on the right, one of three, evenly spaced doors.

Ray saw the pair and pounced down from the bed, "Did you see my room, I get to share with Ellis! And … and you will be right here! See?" she said, running ahead of them and pushing open the hollow, dark wood door.

It was a small room, enough for a double bed to slot in at the far end, as if the room had been made to fit the frame. They'd both have to climb on from one side, the other side was pressed against the far wall. Above the bed was a wide single-paned window. A bedside table sat beside the head of the bed and two trunks sat against the wall next to the door.

Owen dropped their belongings atop one of the trunks and turned his attention back to Amelia. She ambled carefully to the bed and sat down.

"Ray… you hungry?" Arizona poked her head in. Ray nodded emphatically and ran from the room. "There's a toilet right next door to you if you need it" Arizona said, nodding once before backing out and pulling the door closed.

"Here lie down…" Owen said, plumping the pillow beside her and applying gentle pressure to her shoulder until she began to sink down.

She groaned quietly. "I still can't believe this is happening" she sighed, relaxing against the mattress. Owen sat slowly at her side, feeling nauseous for her. He soothed his hand under her shirt, against the bare skin at her waist, running up and down from her hip, to her ribs. "Me either…" he said, watching her slowly doze off.

He stilled his hand, the heel of his palm resting at the side of her stomach and he stared down, feeling warmth washing over his body. His eyes traced her figure as he tried to steady his breathing. He had found himself dizzy with worry since they had found out. Amelia had often been too preoccupied with the morning sickness to notice.

Amelia fidgeted, moaning softly in her sleep. Owen brought his hand up to her face, pushing her hair back with his fingertips, tracing around the back of her ear. He dropped a kiss at the corner of her mouth and she fidgeted again, pulling her knees up until they were pressed against Owen's thigh. He stood, finding a brick coloured wool blanket at the foot of the bed and pulled it up to her shoulder.

* * *

"Hey O" Megan greeted him from the sofa, a steaming bowl of porridge in her lap. Ray walked over slowly, watching her feet as she carried a bowl for herself. She sat beside Megan and smiled up at her.

"Hey" Owen breathed out, taking in the large room. Behind him on the left was a toilet, separated by a wall from the shower room, his and Amelia's room behind that, beside their room, also on the left, was Ellis and Ray's room. Opposite those rooms, on the right of the building was three single rooms, Arizona took the one closest to the front door, followed by Alex' and then Richard'.

"Do you want some porridge sweetie or something else?" Evelyn was busying herself at the kitchen. The room smelt of sweet porridge, Owen walked to the window and opened it, hoping that the new smell wouldn't set off Amelia's nausea before it could even settle.

"Porridge is fine Mom, thank you" he waked into the center of the room, looking around. In the furthest corner from the front door was another bedroom, he could see Evelyn' things on the bed inside, another bed sat around the corner.

"This is a nice place isn't it?" Evelyn said, placing a bowl down on the bar that sat against the wall, seven stools pushed under it. "There you go sweetie" she said, sitting back down at a small round table in the centre of the kitchen space. "Did Amelia go back to sleep?" Evelyn said, pulling her tea towards her and stirring the contents. The teaspoon clanked against the tin mug.

"Yeah" he sighed, bringing his bowl and sitting across from him mom at the table.

"You know I had bad morning sickness with you?"

"Really...Sorry?"

Evelyn chuckled, shaking her head. "I had none with Megan… horrible heartburn" she said, grimacing. Owen smirked, enjoying hearing his mom talk about her pregnancies. "She had much more hair than you though" she smirked, raising her brows.

* * *

"Knock knock… Hello?" Nina called, she let herself in and closed the door. "Hello?.. Ray..." Ray gasped, and her eyes stretched wide. She smiled and jumped up from the floor, knocking over the Lego tower she and Ellis had been building.

Amelia grinned, unmoving from the comfortable embrace of the couch.

Nina appeared from the hall. A cat carrier in her right hand. Ray squealed, calling Ginny's name. Ginny meowed longingly, her fur poking through the front of the cage. Nina set it down on the floor and Ray fell to her knees, immediately releasing her friend and squeezing her in her arms.

Owen entered the room then, greeting Nina with a smile.

"Evelyn" Ray squealed, clamoring up from the floor and running over to where Evelyn sat, reclined in the armchair, "Look" she gasped, nuzzling her face into the scruff of Ginny's neck. Evelyn pulled the girl onto her lap and they both stroked the cat together. The creature stretched out its long body, basking in their love.

Amelia sighed inwardly, muscles relaxing at the feeling of Owens hot hand against the back of her neck. He stooped and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Alright?" he murmured softly, his expression radiating love and worry.

She smiled, nodding, taking hold of his hand.

"Have you had a chance to look around?" Nina asked, sitting on the edge of the couch where Amelia sat. Amelia shook her head,"no, I haven't but I think everyone else has…" Amelia said, glancing at everyone around the room. Evelyn shook her head, "I haven't been out yet" she said, distractedly, scrunching her hand against the cat's belly. Nina looked up at Owen, "What did you think?" she asked.

Owen pouted his lips, shrugging, "It's good, everyone seems nice…"

Nina nodded, pulling some paper from the folder she had carried in with her. "I imagine you will get bored very quickly… so I have arranged for you all to start work in our community hospital." Alex and Arizona had migrated over from the kitchen.

"Now as you may have noticed, our population here isn't very big, so the inflow of patients won't be what you are used to. You can work when you like, as long as we have at least two of you at the hospital during the day, we won't need you in at night but we will need two of you to be on call. You are… and don't take this statement at face value… you are on call twenty four seven" everyone's brows furrowed at this. She lifted her hands in defense. "Listen... I'm on call twenty four seven but have had only two real patients in the past two weeks… you'll be acting as general practitioners when you're one of the two who're on shift at the hospital… and when you're on call you'll be paged if needed for something in your specialty."

Everyone seemed satisfied with the set up, nodding to one another. "Evelyn, Megan, there's various things you could do, would you like to see the options?"

Evelyn nodded and Megan slid down from her stool at the breakfast bar. Nina stood and lunged, passing Evelyn a sheet of paper. "You can decide between you who will start tomorrow" she said, sitting back down. "Amelia, maybe wait a couple of days wait to see if your sickness settles?" she said, and Amelia nodded, agreeing, feeling her chest tighten at the mention of her pregnancy.

It still scared her, no matter how many times she reminded herself that the baby was healthy, and that they were all safe, she still found herself awash with a paralysing fear.

She was vaguely aware of Nina leaving her side, moving towards the Evelyn before leaving. Owen showed her out. Everyone in the room scattered again, leaving Amelia alone, or at least she thought alone. "Hey" Alex appeared at her side. He smiled kindly, perceiving the fear in her gaze. Amelia forced a smile and inhaled sharply, "Hey."

Alex sat down next to her. "How're you doing?" he spoke softly, the chatter in the room giving them a sort of privacy. She dropped the smile, lingering at his eyes for a moment before looking down. "I'm terrorfied" she admitted. She shook her head, placing a hand against her chest.

"Everything is fine isn't it?" he asked. She nodded, looking up to meet his eyes again, smiling tearfully.

"Everything is happening so quickly… I have no control over it… anything could go wrong" she said, bringing up her other arm, and wrapping them around herself. He pursed his lips, lolling his head to the side.

"Amelia… you do have some control, you just have to look after yourself, you're surrounded by doctors… I really do think everything will be fine… perfect even… this… this isn't going to be like last time Amelia" he said, finally. She met his eyes, tears falling freely. She nodded almost imperceptibly and breathed in, closing her eyes and throwing her head back. "Alright" Alex said, patting her knee. She smiled genuinely now, and nodded, looking back to him. "You talk a lot of sense" she chuckled.

He smirked smugly, standing up. "Anytime" he replied, circling around her to the kitchen, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly as he went. Sunlight flashed around him as he passed the windows along the wall where the breakfast bar was affixed. They framed a landscape of fields and woodland. Layers and layers of fencing stood between them and the far distance. Dust specs danced around within the columns of light that bridged from the windows to the carpeted floor.

Owen stepped just into the room then. His eyes landed straight on her. It took her a moment to notice him there. Her eyes met his in a gentle way, and he smiled, sliding his hands into his jean pockets. "Want to go look around?" he asked. His voice was so faint that she relied mostly on the motion of his lips. "Yeah" she replied, nodding, pressing her open hands into the cushions to get up.

* * *

There was a buzz in the air outside, like a shuffling sound, the sound of people going about their day. They walked slowly, Ellis holding onto Owen's hand and waddling beside him. Amelia breathed in deep, eyes falling shut as she drank in the cool air.

"We can go and pick up everyone's pagers?" Owen said, stopping to lift Ellis up onto his hip. Amelia nodded, rocking against his other side, wrapping an arm around his waist. "You okay? You're very quiet" he asked her, lifting his free arm over her head and onto her shoulders. She smiled up at him, eyes sparkling.

"I think so…" She savoured the silence, looking down at her shoes, ankle high rubber boots she'd been given. "I'm scared" she said, still not looking up, kicking the gravel underfoot. "But I think i'm alright, or… going to be" she smiled, looking up to meet his eyes. He was grinning. His happiness was contagious. He pulled her closer, tightening his arm around her shoulders. She softened against him, leaning into the kissed he pressed against her temple. "Love you" she uttered.

"Love you too" he replied.

TBC x

Reviews very welcome x


	12. Chapter 12

Amelia roused from sleep easily. In that way only possible when you have slept until you can't anymore. It was always in the early hour that she found herself feeling most content, when the drowsiness still hazed her ability to think, her mind would be quiet; only having first thoughts, like 'warm' at the feeling of her body amongst the covers. She'd usually wonder of the time, observing where the sun was hitting the wall. On most mornings, 'Owen' would come to mind. She open her eyes to find him still sleeping, she'd rest in her love for him, eyeing his expression as he slept, his smell, his warmth.

Though the past week or so she'd been waking up alone. He'd wake first, having all the same first thoughts and he'd leave her to sleep.

The sun sat further across the wall than she had grown accustomed to. 'It must be late' she thought, brows furrowing as she turned onto her side, gazing out of the window. She heard Owen enter the room, his breathing was heavy, she thought he must have been running, as he often did in the mornings. She could hear him walking around the room, she smiled at how painstakingly slow he was going, trying to be quiet.

"Owen" she said, voice husky from sleep. His head peeked into her line of sight. "Hi" he said, a bashful smile painting his face. "You're awake" he said and she nodded, rolling onto her back to look at him. She beamed at him. "You look hot" she said, and he looked down at himself, 'i'm not sweating' he thought. "I was running" he pulled at his shirt at the back to see if it stuck.

When he met her eyes again, he caught onto what she meant. "Oh" he mouthed. She giggled as he crawled up the bed, dropping kisses as he went, finally landing on her mouth. She laughed into the kiss as his fingertips danced at her sides, her knees came up either side of him, bracketing his hips, she pulled at his shirt.

* * *

He groaned, leaning heavily into the kiss before rolling off of her. She turned onto her side again, facing him, childishly pouting, a smile in her eyes. He smiled at her, running his hand along her waist. "As much as you know I would love to." he kissed her with every word, pausing to continue talking; "I said I'd go to the hospital, and I came to see if you wanted to… if you were awake… which you are."

She held onto him tight, compressing him against her. "We can be quick" she whispered longingly, wrapping her legs around him tighter. He kissed her hard and paused, face hovering over hers. She was flushed slightly, cheeks rosy. Her lips were scarlet and full, something that seemed exacerbated by the pregnancy, and drove him wild. Her ocean eyes were filled with lust, also seemingly exacerbated by her pregnancy. At fifteen weeks, her sickness had passed and her libido had rocketed.

"Please" she uttered, smiling brightly, knowing he couldn't resist her begging. He chuckled, shaking his head and relenting, sinking his lips against her neck. Amelia went to work on his trousers, tugging them down as far as she could. Owen continued to drop kisses against her soft skin, nibbling and sucking. He sat up, pulling the hem of her vest up and over her head. Leaving her in only a pair of panties. He pulled off his shirt, Amelia stripped off her underwear.

Owen sat above her, staring; Amelia panted, her ample chest rising and falling with every heavy breath. "Owen" she begged, grasping his hands and moving them to her breasts, encouraging his soft caress. "You're so beautiful" he sighed, running his fingertips over the round curve of her stomach before pulling her up towards him. With her legs circling his hips, his hands denting the soft flesh of her back, he entered her. They sighed unanimously and sought each other lips, capturing them, kneading like clay.

Amelia closed her eyes in bliss, head lolling back and she felt herself rolling towards her edge quicker than she ever had before. She tipped over into ecstasy first, quivering in Owen's arms before collapsing against him. Her forehead rest against his shoulder, she pressed firm, warm kisses against his collarbone as he finished.

They sat there, in the center of their bed, embracing with heavy arms. "Okay?" Owen asked, lowering Amelia onto her back. She smiled softly and nodded, "Yes" she said. Owen sank down at her side and pulled the duvet up just below her stomach, running his hand firmly across it. She sighed comfortably and turned her head under his chin. "We can say I had morning sickness" Amelia spoke softly, her breath tickling Owens chest. He hummed, continuing his hand across her small bump. "I still can't believe our baby is in there" Owen whispered, eyeing her bump with tearful awe. Amelia smiled, turning her head to follow his gaze. He stretched his large hand across the expanse of her stomach.

"I can, I'm reminded all the time" she chuckled, turning into his side, depressing kisses against his chest, taking in his musky scent, she seemed to be addicted to it at the moment, so much that she found herself craving and seeking him. He pulled her against him firmly, hand against the small of her back. "We should get going soon, and you need to eat"

"Yeah, yeah" Amelia spoke sleepily.

* * *

"Hello, my name is Dr Shepherd, what's yours?" Amelia sat down in front of a little boy, his hair was a muddy blond and stuck out all over the place. He looked to the women who sat in a chair close by and she nodded, smiling. "Josh" he said sweetly.

Amelia smiled, "Okay Josh, well I'm a doctor who knows everything there is to know about everything in here" she pointed to his head. "So if you have anything weird that happens there I can help" His face lit up and he looked back to the women.

"I hit my head, I fell" he said, he reached behind his head and pulled his hand back, "look its red back there" he said, showing her his fingers, dotted with blood.

Amelia nodded. "Oh dear, well you're lucky because me and my friends can fix that" She said, standing up and pulling out her new flashlight. Owen entered then, pushing a trolley of supplies. Josh's eyes darted to him, "Is he your friend?" He asked, eyes flitting back to Amelia. Amelia smiled, "He is Josh, we're married" She said, pointing back to her flashlight, indicating that she needed his focus back. He rose his eyebrows, still looking at Owen, he giggled, wriggling in his seat.

"Josh look here" Amelia said, smirking at the boy. Owen walked to stand beside Amelia. "Hi Josh, my name is Dr Hunt, I'm going to fix this little cut back here" Owen said, calmly. The little boy smiled, putting his thumb up, still following Amelia's orders. "You are being so brave Josh" Amelia said, he grinned bashfully and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay Josh, you're going to feel a little stinging and then no pain at all okay?" Owen said, Amelia finished her exam and crouched slightly, nodding and meeting Josh's eyes, "Nearly done" Amelia said, she turned to the women and indicated with a tip of her head that she could come over.

"Who's this?" Amelia said to the boy.

"Jane, she my auntie, daddy's sister" he said, happily. "She's a little bit like my mommy now" he said, smile faltering slightly. Amelia nodded. Feeling her chest constrict slightly looking into the boy's eyes, seeing sadness there. "How old are you?" Amelia asked, trying to distract him after a nod from Owen. "I'm six, and a half" he said, before wincing, squeezing his aunt's hand.

"That bits all done now" Owen said, glancing at Amelia before picking up the glue.

"Do you have many friends here?" Amelia said, sitting back down on the stool and fixing her posture. He twisted his lips, before pouting, "not really, all of the children are either babies or older, they won't play with me" he said. Amelia grinned, raising her eyebrows.

"Well I know a little girl about your age, her name is Ray, and she's pretty cool, she's starting at the school soon, but I'm sure she'd like to play with you?"

Josh smiled toothily and swung his legs. "All done!" Owen said, rounding the table.

"Can we play today?" Josh said hopefully, looking between his aunt and Amelia. Amelia pursed her lips.

"Tomorrow, I need you to rest today, so your head can be better" she said. Josh slumped and nodded. " but you can come tomorrow?" Amelia said, part asking Jane who nodded. "You can come and knock for her in the morning, do you have a bike?"

Josh became energised again and nodded frantically "Yeah!" he said. Amelia pulled out her notepad and wrote down their block number on it, passing it to the boy.

"That's our block, come after nine yeah?" he nodded, wiggling in his seat again. Amelia stood, grinning at the excited boy and up at Owen.

"Okay well see you tomorrow" she helped him down from the bed and he bounced over to her, hugging around her stomach and then to his aunt, holding onto her as she moved towards the door.

"Nice you meet you Dr's" she said. The nodded kindly and waved, watching them leave.

Owen smiled toothily at Amelia, "Ray is going to be excited, she's been wanting to go out on her bike" he said. Amelia nodded, slotting her notebook back into her pocket and sighing.

"Any other patients?" Amelia asked Owen as they walked out to the hall.

"Nope" Owen said, folded his arms. Amelia groaned, throwing her head back. "What's wrong?" Owen asked, watching her check her watch and pout her lips. The hospital was quiet, and where this meant they could be expecting a rush when at Grey Sloan, it meant the opposite in the military hospital.

"Nothing" she mumbled. Owen smirked, internally chuckling at her childish demeanor.

"Amelia" he prompted, lightly bumping into her side. She looked up at him, with wide, despairing eyes.

"I'm tired… and horny, and there's nothing to do" she droned, frowning in frustration. "How is it that you can be in pain and horny at the same time?" she shook her head as she spoke, waving her hands out in front of her.

"Pain?" he said, skimming past the other counterpart to her mood. She huffed, sinking in her posture and pushing her hands into her pockets. "My back hurts" she said, glancing down at her watch again.

"How long have we got?" he asked, reaching the staff room and holding the door for her to enter.

"Half an hour" she flopped down onto the couch, groaning, throwing her feet up onto the coffee table and relaxing her entire body, eyes closed. Owen laughed aloud, busying his hands making a coffee and a tea.

"Hey don't laugh at me, this is your fault" she said, mellifluously. He calmly made the drinks and walked to her, setting them down on the table. "If I remember correctly you were there taking part too" he said, sitting beside her and laying his arm along the back of the sofa behind her. "Kiss me" she simply said, her pleading eyes meeting his.

"no... " he replied carefully, she opened her mouth and then whined. "You'll want more. You can't get enough of me!" he said, leaning to take a sip of his coffee.

"I won't, I promise, just give me ten seconds" she said, turning towards him slightly. He twisted his lips, half smiling. "What if someone walks in?" She frowned at this, smiling with her eyes.

"Owen how many people are in this ER right now?" she asked, knowing full well the answer was two, she and him. He pursed his lips, as if he had to think about it. "Ten seconds" she continued. He thought for a second more,"Screw it" he breathed, enclosing her with his arms, pulling her across his lap and kissing her hard, the way he knew she needed it. She mewled, caressing his arm with one hand, the other was lost in his hair. His free hand worked up under her shirt, dancing across her skin in flurries making her shiver. After more than ten second Owen pulled away, relaxing his hold so that her torso rest against his legs.

"Ten seconds up" he panted, out of breath. She smiled, somewhat satisfied and closed her eyes, running her hands down and over her stomach, over where Owen's hand possessively laid. Owen lifted her wrist and observed the time. "We're off shift now" He said pulling his hand out from under her shirt, smoothing down the fabric. They wore green scrubs, a color neither had worn before, but they both appreciated the normality wearing them provided.

"Let's...go...Home?" Amelia said, finding herself almost automatically saying it but found herself surprised. Owen smiled, feeling confused by the idea too, he looked up to the ceiling.

"Yeah, I guess we could call it that"

"Help me up" she grunted as she strained to sit up, moving faster once Owen's hands aided her.

* * *

"Oh great! I was going to put this in the fridge but you could have it now!" Evelyn said cheerily, eyeing Owen and Amelia as they entered the living room. "Amelia" she said, picking up a pitcher of something gruesome looking and a glass walking it to the table and setting it down. Amelia walked cautiously over and dropped her bag on the chair.

"Evelyn what is…" Amelia began but Megan interrupted, leaving her and her mother's bedroom, "Don't ask Amelia" she said, cringing and walking to the fridge. "It's nothing untoward dear just a take on something my mother would make me when I was pregnant, I checked with Nina and even added some things that she recommended. It's very nutritious and good for the baby" she said, pouring the green/brown gloop into a glass. Amelia glanced around, meeting everyone's eyes, each expression said 'I'm glad I'm not you' except Evelyn's, whose was a picture of kindness and hope.

"It doesn't taste so bad dear… and both...both my babies were strong as ox's" she said sweetly, lifting the glass and holding it out towards Amelia. Amelia smiled genuinely, appreciating the thought that had gone into the gesture, wishing only that the drink looked more advertising. Amelia looked down at the drink, feeling Owen move up behind her and brush his open hand against the small of her back, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

Megan settled at the table, ginny instantly jumped up onto her lap, coiling up and dozing off.

"Oh I'm sorry about the taste dear" Evelyn said, observing the cringe that swept across her daughter in law' features as she took a gulp. Amelia paused, clenching her jaw, fighting a gag, "it's… it's" she stuttered, "It's okay, the texture is just… odd" Amelia continued, finding herself taking another huge gulp, trying to down it all quickly. Megan chuckled, "Thank you Amelia for getting pregnant before me and saving me from having to be the first to try this" Megan laughed, taking in a spoonful of yogurt. Amelia sat down opposite her and smirked, shaking her head.

"I'll still make you it!" Evelyn said, turning back to the stove where she had a huge pot steaming.

"Maybe but I won't be drinking it" She said, dipping her spoon back into her bowl only to have the bowl swiped away by her mother. "Dinner is done" she said, smiling jovially at Megan. "Owen, Amelia would you like some, spaghetti?" she said. The pair nodded, and thanked her, settling down at the table.

"You know you don't have to cook for everyone everyday Evelyn? Although it is lovely" Richard said, helping her lay out all the plates.

"Oh, It wouldn't have it any other way, I finish at the school at two and then I have nothing else to do" she had started assisting at the school as her job, it was mainly just supervising play so it wasn't very tasking.

The sun was setting outside and the room was tinted pink, Alex entered and clicked on two lamps, jumping up onto a stool beside Arizona. Ray appeared at the end of the hall then, helping Ellis walk. "Hey Ray… hello Ellis" Amelia said, warmly, her tone at saying Ellis' name making her smile broadly. "Mommy" Ellis babbled, in reaching distance now from where Amelia sat. Ray grinned up at Amelia, unknowing of the significance of the word. Amelia's face fell briefly, before she regained herself and lifted Ellis onto her lap. She met Owens eyes and shuddered slightly. She didn't know how to approach the situation with Ellis, she was so little, and the situation was so big.

"There we go sweetie" Evelyn said, sitting a Ellis's highchair between Amelia and Owen, placing a small bowl of spaghetti on it's table, one they all knew would be all over Ellis in a matter of moments.

The room silenced for a while, as everyone tucked into the food, Evelyn smiled, looking around and taking the silence as a sign that they were enjoying the food. Conversation slowly filtered in, about everyone's days. Amelia told Ray about her play date, Ray jumped out of her seat at that, face alight with excitement. "Eat your food Ray" is all Amelia said, still grinning. Ray smiled too, silencing and tucking back into her food. "Will he bring his bike?" Ray whispered. Amelia nodded, chuckling.

* * *

"I feel more tired than I would after a full-on shift at Grey Sloan" Owen groaned, rolling over to his side of the bed, settling on his back with a long sigh. "Doing nothing is tiring" Amelia switched off the light and perched at edge of the bed pulling of her jumper. The natural light of the moon rolled through the blinds and painted her silhouette. Her hair had grown long and sat, dark, against the white cotton vest she wore. She moaned softly as she pulled off her socks. Her moan of discomfort morphed to one of pleasure as Owen moved up behind her and worked his hands into the tense muscles at her lower back. "Oh Owen" she gasped, relaxing back against him as shivers made her shudder. He laughed breathily and burrowed her face into the crook of her neck, absorbing her smell, and dusting kisses against her skin, all the while continuing to knead his strong hands into her back. In a short time her breathing was so even and she had relaxed so much that Owen thought she'd dozed off. He kept his hands moving however, for a few minutes at least.

He circled his hands around her limp, reclined form and smoothed his hands across her firm bump. He chortled in astonishment, shaking his head softly, the bulge seemed to have grown since the morning, He pulled up her vest to reveal it to the moonlight. Amelia jolted awake. "Owen?" She uttered, confused. She tensed momentarily before feeling his presence around her and relaxing once more. "This feels like its grown since this morning" he said, running his rough hands across it. Amelia simply sighed and pulled his hands to the underside of her bump, languidly running her palms against the backs of his. "Bed" she mumbled, lolling her head back until she could glimpse his eyes. "Yes" he replied, easing backwards, pulling her with him.

Outside their room, everyone but the children and Evelyn were still up, their chatter was like white noise to Amelia and Owen. It was still reasonably early, but after dinner the pair had pushed on through their exhaustion for only an hour before relenting to it.

"I need to close the blind" Owen whispered, entwined in Amelia.

"Leave it" Amelia said, turning slowly in his arms, onto her back, and then to face him slightly. "I like the moon" she said, allowing Owen to tuck a pillow behind and under her. "Have you been reading those leaflets Nina gave us?" Amelia spoke against his neck.

"I did, but it was nothing I hadn't learnt in med school... it's bad to sleep on your back" he said, sleepily, eyes drifting open and closed. Amelia hummed, sinking into sleep.

TBC x


End file.
